Closing Walls And Ticking Clocks
by dearcharlie
Summary: "I gave you that heart and I will claim it." Continuation of the one-shot "Until The Last of Days". Elena/Damon/Blair/Klaus. Crossover.
1. A Trouble That Can't Be Named

__**Chapter 1: A Trouble That Can't Be Named**

Damon sat in the backseat of the yellow cab with Elena, unflinching. He's been to New York, of course, a long time ago. Nothing has changed. Grays were still grays, blacks were still blacks, and yellows were still yellows. The city was dull and it was a drab compared to the greens of Mystic Falls. He suddenly felt homesick. Elena, however, looked amazed, like a little kid who's been brought to Toys 'R Us for the very first time. She looked like a tourist everywhere she went. The city lights were awe to her. She's never been in a city as big and as bright as New York which drew it to her attention. She considered living there when the chaos is over, when silence sinks in; away from Mystic Falls; away from the mess of a life that she had.

Alaric, the adult male figure that he was, sat in the passenger's seat and tried to not mimic Elena whose face was practically pressed against the window. He, also, has been to New York as a child. He never remembered it being this wonderful. Unlike Damon, he saw the colors. A little piece of home on a huge patch of land in the middle of the island covered in very fall reds and oranges and yellows—central park. The last time he saw it, it was white as snow.

"What I don't get is why he's in New York," Elena broke her silence, "I mean, he killed a pack and just flew here. I don't understand it."

"Who knows? Maybe he's running from something. Maybe he found wolves here. _Maybe_ he has a lover." Damon grinned.

"Right. Like anyone would like Klaus." Alaric said.

The taxi driver stayed silent. He was compelled not to remember anything he would hear inside his taxi. And he also was compelled to actually not charge them with anything (it was _Damon's _idea). After a short pause Damon's phone began ringing. It was Caroline. Damon practically tied her to a bed post just to stop her from packing. She was practically in tears. Good thing Bonnie was there, and Tyler, and Jeremy, and Matt, to brace her while they went.

"What?" he answered.

"Don't 'what' me. I just called to, you know, ask how New York's going since _you did not let me come with you!_ Which, I believe, is so unfair."

"It's a big-people trip, sweetheart. We'll come home with presents, I promise."

"You're unfai—"

"Bye now," he grinned like the Cheshire cat and hang up. He's discussed numerous times why she needed to stay home. He found Elena giving her a death stare. "What?"

"You're being rude."

"I'm being efficacious, Elena. And besides, we're here." He nodded to the other side of the door and there stood The Hotel Wolcott. It wasn't the most luxurious New York could offer but it was enough. They were sure Klaus wouldn't come near it though. And he never would. He was obviously not the type to stay in some cheap hotel. Not that it was cheap, but there were better hotels in New York.

The three of them opted to be in one room. It had two single beds in one room for the boys, and one single bed for Elena in the other. It bothered them mostly but they weren't there to lounge. They were there to hunt Stefan down and get him home sans evil hybrid wolf-vamp, but as soon as they've set their bags down they were lost. Not only was the flight nerve wracking but the thought of being in a city where thousands and thousands lived and having to find a Stefan Salvatore and a Klaus, master of not being found, was a tad bit overwhelming and now it felt impossible. They slept on it. Well, Alaric slept on it. Elena kept tossing and turning, and Damon listened as she did so.

_xxx_

He was there, right in front of her, saying the things she's always wanted to hear from her. The only thing she wanted for him to say forever ago. She froze. She didn't know what to do. She didn't know how to act around him anymore. She was Blair Waldorf, daughter of Eleanor and Harold Waldorf of the New York Waldorfs. She was the queen of the Upper East Side. She wasn't who she was when she was with him. Hardly.

"I've come home to you, Blair," he took two steps forward with a shy smile on his face and she stood back, "I'm complete now. I've finished what I had to do. I'm here."

Their eyes never left each other, trying to calculate what the other's next move was going to be. Blair soon eased and crossed her arms across her chest_. This_ was her life now. New York City. Serena, Chuck, Nate, and even Brooklyn boy Dan, and everyone else who love-hates her. This is her world, and in her world the name Klaus didn't exist except for Christmases.

"Are you done?" her head was held high, confident and secure without a doubt.

"Done?"

"With your speech. Are you done, Klaus? That is still your name right? Or did you go mad and finally realize that your name started with a Nik." He hated his name. She knew it. His blood rose for a second before he reminded himself that it was Blair he was talking to and he could not harm her. Not even if he wanted to.

"Blair, I thought you would be happy. I am back, better than before."

"I don't care. I've lived hundreds of years without you. I've grown used to it. How dare you just waltz into my life without permission and just assume that after all of these godforsaken years that I still have space in my heart for you?" She was right and she knew it.

It was too late for him, he thought, but he came to New York for her. He came because he failed and he needed her to tell her what to do. Something in his formula was wrong. The pack of wolves just turned into little annoying monsters. He had the werewolf, the vampire and the doppelganger. So why didn't it work? Unless…

"How can I? Because I made your heart beat again in the first place, Blair! Or did _you_ forget that you're a monster just like me living in this mundane world. Look at you! Pretentious with all your glory as what? A queen of amongst the bees? You can't fool me, Blair. And you certainly cannot fool yourself. I gave you that heart and I will claim it."

His words were firm, fast, and certainly angry. Without him even giving her a second for rebuttal, he walked back inside of the elevator and left. Blair sank in her seat and closed her eyes. When she opened them he was really gone. She tried to convince herself that it was all just a dream. He hadn't been there. She did not see him. They did not talk. But he was right. He couldn't fool herself and even though so much has happened for centuries without Klaus he will always be a part of her.

Why though? Why now? She was stable, or at least she thought she was. She was a high school senior with a bright future in Yale in front of her. How dare he? _He's just going to ruin my life, as he always does. _But he gave her that life. She didn't want to acknowledge that though. He was gone for most of it anyway.

* * *

><p><strong>NA:** I just made minor changes to TVD's plot. (Let's all forget about Caroline being her dad's prisoner okay?) And Bonnie's home. No ghosts right now either. This is basically drabble I guess. I don't know where this would lead to at the moment but I will try to finish it. XOXO.


	2. The Aftermath

**Chapter 2: The aftermath**

Elena was wide awake at six in the morning. She barely had sleep so she gave up around the time the dark tint of the night sky started to fade. She sighed inaudible sighs and checked her phone more than ten times. She contemplated on watching television but she didn't want to wake the others. When she checked her phone again it was just a quarter past six. She was anxious to go, anxious to find Stefan. They were so close. What if they move again? Damon said they wouldn't be moving for a while. When she asked who his source was he just turned and walked away. He never told. And she knew that even if she asked him again he would never tell, unless _he_ wanted to.

She got up from bed a few minutes later to start her day. Even though the comfortable bed was very enticing, she couldn't bear not to see the outside world—New York! She pushed the heavy drapery aside and opened her window. A cool wind came gushing through, making her cheeks a little pink. There were honks and smoke and morning smug. And there's that smell, that 'this isn't Mystic Falls at all' smell that was very much not earthy but something more—structured, dangerous. She watched as people were already scurrying about on the pavement already for their way to a bright, beautiful day ahead.

And she couldn't help but think that somewhere in this center of the universe was her darling Stefan just waiting to be rescued, waiting for her.

_xxx_

Stefan woke up in a lavish suite in one of Klaus's penthouses. There were three girls with him on his bed, one dead, one naked, one dying. When he licked his lips he tasted the very sweet, very familiar taste of blood. He wiped the rest of the blood off his chin and stepped into his balcony where the sun was just halfway up the eastern coast. It was a sight most humans could only dream of—what Elena would dream of.

He shrugged the thought of her aside. It pained him to remember memories of her, of them, of their love and how it was supposed to last forever. Or at least he planned for it to last forever. But most plans do diminish somewhere in the middle of trying to live it. He's accepted that.

He took a quick shower, put his clothes back on, and went about the penthouse where he found Klaus hunching over the granite counter top with liquor all around him.

"'Alo, Stefan, had a nice night off?" he was definitely drunk. Stefan didn't know that Klaus was capable of being drunk… but he guessed that a whole hotel's liquor selection could possibly prove him wrong.

"Where have you been?"

"Let's see, I came home here and found you busy so I called room service," he had that smirk which told him he was hiding something.

"Okay, if you want to keep it that way."

"Brother, don't be like that. Tell you what; I have a little errand for you to run today while I sober up, up here."

"What is it?"

"I need you to give me the heart of Blair Waldorf," he turned and headed for his room.

"Who?—"

"Her address is on the yellow pages, Stefan," called out and waved him goodnight.

Who was Blair Waldorf? Who knew? Well, Klaus certainly did as he wanted her dead. When he looked up the name she was indeed on the yellow pages, also on the society pages in the New York Times, also in a magazine one of his dinners had left the night before. She was beautiful, classic—timeless. What could have this teenager ever do to Klaus?

_xxx_

"Rise and shine, _dad_," Elena exaggerated as she took the pillow that covered Alaric's face from him, "you too," he hit Damon with it.

She had already showed, brushed, lotioned, pony-tailed, and dressed, all ready to go like she was dressed for battle except her only protective gear was a necklace and one sleeping vampire pet who lay practically dead in his bed.

"It's so early," groaned Alaric.

She turned to Alaric who covered himself with his sheets. "No, it's not. It's almost eight and the sun is high. It won't wait for us you know. We're not here on vacation."

"Geez, who put you in charge?" Damon was leaning against the doorway, staring at Elena. _He was just asleep a _second_ ago._

"I did! We should be trying to find Stefan."

"_Elena_,"

"Damon,"

"Elena,"

"Children!"

"Oh good. You're awake! I'll wait for you guys in the lobby." Elena went for the door but just as she was about the step out Damon was suddenly in front of her.

"Get out of the way." She demanded.

"Why are you so cranky?"

"I just want to get Stefan and go home, okay?"

"Okay. Fine. Stay in the lobby, though. In _this_ lobby. Never know what evil is lurking around." He grinned at her and let her through.

She was cranky because she hardly slept. Well, he didn't sleep at all because of her. He laid in silence and listened to her breathe and open the window and shower and brush her teeth and get dressed and walk around their suite and finally make them wake up. He listened to her heartbeat as she held her necklace while walking down the hall to the elevator. He listened, and even tried to listen for her after she has gotten in the lift. He was uncomfortable leaving her alone just for one second. The best he could possibly do now is actually get ready.

_xxx_

Blair woke up that crisp Sunday morning trying to shake off a feeling, trying to shake off Klaus's voice out of her head, trying to shake off her existence. She's never wanted to die her whole life more than now. He wasn't the same. He's gone darker than before, meaner, badder. Maybe she should have just let him all the way in. She's imagined the scenario millions of times before. She would be swept away by his classic, bad boy, resistant-proof charms and they would live happily ever after.

So what changed? He hair, maybe? It was a little shorter than what she had sported half a millennia ago. Her voice? Her look? She was no longer the sweet and innocent. Sometimes she thought she never was. Maybe he wanted the peasant girl from old England back. Well she wasn't that anymore. She was queen. She wasn't going to give this life up especially since she loved the humans she's surrounded herself with.

What really changed though is that she has finally surrendered. She gave up. She fell out of love with Klaus. Yes, it still hurt, but only vaguely, only when she wanted it to hurt. He left her with a heart she never asked for and broke it, like he does to his toys. He breaks them after playing with them and leaves. She feels nothing now. She refuses to feel anything at all.

"Miss Blair, Miss Serena is here." Dorota called from downstairs. It was almost eleven o'clock and they were supposed to be going out for lunch but she was still in her bed with her night mask on and she refused to move, or even leave her bed knowing that the source of all evil in this earth is out there somewhere.

"Tell her I'm dead," she called out.

"No you're not, B, get out of bed," Serena stood like a golden buddah by the door, but definitely skinnier, long legged-er, with a ton more hair, and a ton more glow.

"I don't want to."

"Why?"

"Because."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she sighed.

"Dorota, who was here last night?" Serena asked the plump handmaiden who got them a breakfast tray.

"Last night?" Dorota paused. She did remember a man telling her to get more Gouda and pistachios from the grocery store. She introduced himself as, "Klaus," she repeated the way he said his name out loud.

"Ah yes, a Mister Klaus visited Miss Blair last night."

Serena's eyes widened and sat beside Blair on the bed, who was already picking on a berry in her yogurt. She refused to hear anything that Serena might possibly say. She refused to listen to everyone, even herself, who was subconsciously telling her that sending Klaus away the night before made things worse, that it won't be easy, that there was going to be consequences; that she still loved him and he was still the only person she has ever _truly_ loved since the start of _her_ time.

"What did he want?" asked Serena.

It took a while for Blair's brain to register the question, analyze its simplicity, analyze the correct answer, and actually say it out loud.

"Me," she whispered, "he wanted me."

* * *

><p><strong>NA: **What's up with Serena not asking who the hell Klaus was? Any ideas? ;D XOXO.


	3. Dreaming of Revelry

**Chapter 3: Dreaming of Revelry**

"Do you even know where to find Romeo, Juliet?" Damon asked Elena as they walked through the city streets.

"No. I was hoping you would. You've been here before, haven't you? Stefan too right? Remember, you were trying to make him miserable for all eternity? By the way, how did that work out for you?"

Damon sighed and stopped walking dead in his tracks. Alaric, who had a hotdog in hand, bumped into him.

"What's the big idea?" Alaric exclaimed.

"Yeah, Damon, what's the big idea?"

Damon said nothing. He crossed his arms and stood unmoving, like a statue. He stared blankly at Elena as if waiting for her to say something. She just didn't know what exactly. Surely, Damon, the root of all bad-boyness, could take a joke.

"What, Damon? Talk. Speak. _Howl. _Whichever you want. We haven't gotten all day."

"Then go. Find Stefan."

"Oh god, he's on a jealousy trip." Alaric muttered under his breath.

"Shut up, Ric." He gave him the look and then paid all his attention, again, to Elena. "You were all gung-ho on finding Stefan. You wouldn't listen. You're just rushing and rushing and rushing. And now I find out you don't even know where to start."

"This is not the time for immaturity, seriously."

"Okay then. From here on out, I call the shots. I say when we wake up, and when we sleep, and when we find my brother, and when to not bother going there anymore. Deal?"

"That's unfair!"

"Fine. Then you could go find Stefan on your own." He turned on his heels and started walking.

"Wait! Damon! Fine! It's a deal!"

He smirked, amused, and turned back at them. "What was that?"

"It's your city. You call the shots."

"Yes, it is." His smile grew even wider as he turned back to where he was headed. He bumped into a tall, blonde, glowing thing. He almost knocked her down if it wasn't for the help of the golden goddess's friend who helped steady her.

"I'm so sorry," Damon said insincerely. The blonde looked a little confused as she looked right in him.

"Sorry is right. You shouldn't be blocking sidewalks. This is New York. God!" the friend said. She was a feisty little thing. He liked it.

"Excuse Blair, she's having the worst day of her life."

"Worst decade!" she exclaimed and moved past Damon and scoffed at what Elena was wearing. "Come Serena. We have serious matters to discuss. And I blame you for getting me out of the house. I'd rather burn in the sun than be here…" She trailed as her heels click clacked on the pavement. Damon's eyes followed her legs, the way they strutted like she owned the damn city, the way her hair bounced the way it bounced.

"Sorry again, for that. She's a little cranky."

"No it's fine. I don't mind it at all."

"We need to go, Serena! Now!"

"Well, your highness awaits. I'm Serena, by the way, if you hadn't heard from her already."

"Damon Salvatore. This is Elena Gilbert. And that's Ric."

"Nice to meet you, welcome to New York. I'm guessing you're tourists. See you around." She flashed them a million volt smile and ran after Blair who already turned the curb when she caught up with her.

Blair was toying with the ring on her finger all day. She wanted to take it off, but the thought of her combusting into flames scared her. She didn't want to die, not really, not yet. She still had this life and then maybe after it she could rest.

They were strolling around central park. The air was cool and the leaves were in the colors Blair adored. She always loved this time of year. Cold, but still warm. It was like summer was still tugging, holding on for her dear life, while winter was slowly creeping at her, taking away her heat. Autumn was their in-between. It was magical. The thought of it and how she used to associate it to her heat and Klaus' coldness made her sick, and almost nostalgic.

"That wasn't very nice." Serena said.

"What? Those strangers? They're strangers!"

"Blair. You need to calm down."

"Why should I? Klaus is out here somewhere and you're dragging me all over town. For what? I can't believe I'm saying this but I don't want to shop today, okay?"

"I'm not taking you out to shop, B. I'm taking you out to live. You're obviously so hung up on this Klaus thing—"

"Don't even say his name."

"Speaking of names. That guy's name was Damon Salvatore and he was checking you out."

"God, S. He's a small town tourist with a little funny girlfriend following his every command."

"Her name's Elena. And he's not that bad. He was kind of cute too."

"If you want him so bad then why don't _you_ go get a bite out of him?"

"Can't. Actually. I'm afraid he's going to be the one wanting to bite me." Serena grinned.

"Ew." Blair gave her a disgusted look but Serena kept smiling. "Ew, S. I cannot believe you just said that. What? Okay. He was okay. Cute. Handsome."

"More like sexy as hell. Come on. He's just your type."

"My type?"

"Yes."

"And what would that be?"

"Big, bad, vampire."

Blair's eyes grew wide. "What did you just say?"

"Vampire," Serena whispered, "I felt it when he bumped into me."

"Is he dangerous?"

"I don't think so."

"Do you think he's with Klaus?"

"Nope. He's not." A voice behind them said. When they turned it was Damon, with Elena and Alaric running after him, breathless.

"Never do that again!" Elena said, catching up with him.

"How much of that conversation did you just hear?" Serena asked.

"Not much. It started from me hearing that I'm sexy as hell. Thank you, by the way. I needed that boost of confidence today." He smiled at Serena who only smiled halfway, worried. Blair was the only vampire she swore she would trust. "I told you she was a witch, Elena. When are you ever going to believe me?"

"When we find Stefan!"

"Excuse Elena. Her boyfriend's been kidnapped by your Klaus. How do you know him?"

"He's Blair's—"

"Creator. He made me. Turned me. Whichever."

"How old are you?" Elena asked. Blair narrowed her eyes on her.

"Damon, don't you teach your humans manners?"

"I believe she left them at home. I apologize."

"Damon!" Elena scolded.

"Elena, honey, not in front of friends."

"We're not friends," Blair interjected.

"Children!" Alaric said firmly.

Blair stared at Alaric with confusion. Why on earth was he there? He was irrelevant if Elena was truly only trying to find her boyfriend.

"Alaric's an expert vampire hunter. Top notch." Damon said, as if reading Blair's mind.

"Certainly doesn't look like it."

"Blair!" Serena scolded.

"Anyway, what do you want from Klaus?" Blair asked.

"My brother is now his eternal slave and this little girl wanted him back so we're going to get him."

"But Klaus is dangerous," Serena said.

"We know that, but we won't give up." Alaric said.

"Well I give up. And I'm going now because I don't want anything to do with this. Good luck on your suicide mission. May you die in peace, or pieces, whichever comes first." Blair turned on her heels and started marching the direction she and Serena was headed, which is nowhere in particular.

"Sorry again, for Blair. Woke up on the wrong side of the bed, I guess."

"Wait. Wouldn't you help us? Klaus turned you. You must know something." Elena yelled back. In a blink of an eye Blair was standing right in front of her. She was definitely faster than Damon, older, wiser, too, probably.

"Who are_ you_ to be helped? Why on earth would I help _you_? The only thing you need to know is Klaus is a monster. He will stop at nothing until he gets what he wants, even if it means breaking people, breaking lives."

"Bitchy little thing, aren't you?"

Blair glared at Damon, his eyes planted on hers. He had an arrogant façade, which ticked her off even more. In a second, she twisted his arm and left with a "never bother me again" warning.

She just needed to get away from all the Klaus-talk. What has he done? Taking a poor girl's boyfriend captive was below him. Or, maybe not. If she had been with him then maybe she would have understood why he did it. Maybe they did something that pissed him off? Every vampire knew that a rule to existing and existing forever happily would be to not step on Klaus' toes. Whatever he says, one must follow. It was the law.

_xxx_

"She was mean. We don't need _her_ help." Elena said, stomping around their suite later that night.

"But she knows Klaus. Really knows him. And that fire she had. Whew. That was… I need to admit this: those were some burning hot flames in her eyes. I therefore conclude that she's not so bad. I _like_ her."

Elena rolled her eyes at Damon who was cozily laying in bed, switching channels that were on mute, not really interested on watching anything and just trying to look like he could not have the conversation he was currently having with Elena.

"Even if you go to her now, she wouldn't let you in. She probably won't let you go with just twisted joints this time. She'll pull you apart, tear you into pieces."

"I don't think that little girl is capable of being that monstrous."

"Tut, tut, Ric. Remember we have Katherine, but you have a point there. She's heartbroken, Elena. Didn't you see? You're a girl. Relate. A little sway, a little nudge, a little bourbon. That's all it would take for her to give in and, well, fall in love with my very charming personality and thus telling me how to beat Klaus' ancient ass."

"Why not get the witch in on it too? They're friends. She seemed like the nicer one out of the two of them." Alaric said.

"Ah yes, Serena the teenage witch could help." Damon nodded.

"I can't believe you're on his side!"

"He's right, Elena. Blair might be the key ingredient we were looking for after all. Maybe she's the reason Klaus went to New York in the first place. She could be leverage."

Damon sat up and shushed everyone. He looked at the door and gestured for Elena to go inside her room. Alaric got his vervain bomb, which he tucked into the side table drawer, in hand. Damon crept to the door, and with one swift movement, opened it.

"Hi guys!"

"What the hell are you doing here, Caroline?" Damon bellowed.

"Caroline?" Elena walked out of her room looking a little bit flabbergasted and pale.

"What are you doing here?" asked Alaric. He was still holding onto his bomb just in case it was a practical joke or something stupid he just thought up. One can never know these days.

"I've come to your rescue of course. You need help I presume."

"No, we don't need help. We're doing extremely well. You can go home now, Caroline."

"No! I was out all day, getting a lay of the land, and there was quite a lot of land to cover and I loved it! I'm in the suite just across from yours. Maybe you should come sleep with me, Elena. I'm sure you're bored as hell with all this testosterone hanging around you."

"No. You're going home, Caroline. Buh-bye now." Damon closed the door and when he turned, Caroline was already inside. _He closed the door too slowly again. Ha-ha! _Caroline thought.

"So, what did I miss?" Caroline grinned at all of them.

* * *

><p><strong>NA:** BLAMON. Finally. Andddd yes. Serena's a witch. I've always wanted her to be a witch somewhere. And now she is! :) I'm actually excited for the next chapter. More Klaus. More Blamon. More Stefan. And maybe more Katherine. XOXO.


	4. Hiding My Heart Away

**Chapter 4: Hiding My Heart Away**

December 1863

_She lounged around the great libraries of Harvard University as if she owned them. Those who frequented the libraries saw her there every day, always with a book or two in hand as if her goal was to read the massive collection in the University's circulation. For a semester she has stayed, enrolling at law school, fresh from… no one knew. She knew no one and no one knew her except for the people she had in class. Actually, scratch that. They only knew her by her name. Apparently her last name was concealed and she had _asked_ professors not to call it out._

_Despite her mysteriousness, she was quite pleasant, smart actually. Even the most eligible bachelors who tried escorting her, whether it is to her home or to a class or just_ around _felt so small when they were with her. She had held her nose up high, like it was pinched in place. Her regality, her classiness was no match for the other young ladies who saw her. She only went by the name of Blair. And that was that._

_But one day as she was picking out dresses in town she spotted a young lad—he was walking ever so sluggishly with confederate soldiers. She found herself staring. His eyes were like crystals, his cheeks a little pink from the cold weather. Something about him just screamed beauty. Other ladies whispered and hushed as he went about with his troop, but he only saw one person staring—she. The mysterious Lady Blair. Others rolled their eyes, some scoffed. It was a magnificent sight for Blair. She was amused with their petty cupidity over some boy who just happened to stop by._

_He stared at her. So what? It wasn't like he was in love with her. Most people stared at her. There was something about her that nobody could ever explain. She was what she was._

_The boy approached her with a smile of those men who know what they look like, and think that they could get what they want. A smirk. He took her hand and placed a very light kiss atop it. Although so light, his lips felt so heavy even through her glove._

"_Good day, miss," he greeted. She only raised an eyebrow at him and pulled her hand away._

"_Good day," she said back, simply._

"_May I ask for the lady's name?"_

"_And who are you for me to give my name to?"_

"_A very happy man who has just quit serving for the confederacy." He grinned at her. She couldn't tell if he was proud that he quit or proud that he served._

"_Yes. I can see that." She let herself look bored. Men always hated when they couldn't impress her. They always followed, too, after she gives them the impression that she was not impressed._

"_My name is Damon Salvatore," he announced, definitely proud. He was probably the first born child._

"_And where are you lodging at the time being? I don't think you're from around here and they say a snow storm's rolling in any day from now. One must be smart enough not to travel in that weather."_

"_A boarding home just outside of Harvard, my lady. I shall be staying there 'til the end of the year. And then I'll be returning home, to Mystic Falls, Virginia."_

"_What a quaint name for a town," she smiles, just a little bit._

"_Indeed." He nodded. He was under her spell already._

"_Well I should be going now. I have a function at the University to attend." She watched as he waited in anticipation for whatever she was going to say next. But even she was surprised with the words that left her mouth, since most of it was untrue. "Would you like to be my escort? I seem to have trouble finding a suitable one."_

"_I would be glad to accompany you, miss, but I don't know your name."_

"_The only name you may know is Blair."_

"Blair_ is enough for me," _

"_Then I will send someone to fetch you from your boarding house and we shall meet tonight. For now, a lady's got to get ready." She smiled at him and got on the coach that has been waiting for her._

_Damon only felt pleased and accomplished. Nothing like one last heart to break before he goes back home, where more broken hearts are sure to welcome him back into their arms._

x x x

Blair found herself at The Palace, Serena-less. She just needed a drink and then she'll go directly to the van der Woodsen's. Serena had suggested that she stay with them for a while since Klaus had full access to her home. She agreed. She always felt safest with them anyway, despite their differences.

She was nursing a drink in one of the tables when a blonde man just suddenly sat right across from her, smirking. It was type of smirk that was familiar to her. She rolled her eyes and took one long sip.

"What do you want?" She asked.

"Klaus sent me to get your heart." He said bluntly. The nerve of him. His pride annoyed her and she wanted to slap that awful smirk from his face.

"Hah!" she scoffed. "What a shocker. Can't he do his own dirty work now? Is he rheumatic now or something? Although, I wouldn't be surprised. He is quite old."

"He never told me you were… well… _you_."

"You mean a blood-sucking monster? Well he wouldn't tell you that because I'm not. Now if you'll excuse me, I have _a life_ to attend to." She got up from her chair and made it to the hall when she felt someone pulling on her. She found herself inside an empty sitting room with the blonde fiend.

"It was convenient, seeing you here. I didn't even make much of a trip. I just had to press a button."

Blair didn't flinch, nor did she panic. This _boy_ was all talk from the looks of it. She did, however, try to shake off his hand from her wrist, but he was persistent and eager to pin her down so she let him. No need fussing over Klaus' servant boy.

"Before you take my 'heart' or whatever dramatic body part Klaus told you to take from me, I should at least know your name. For memory's sake."

"What's the point? He's going to kill you anyway."

With a swift movement, Blair got him unconscious on the ground. She did nothing wonderful. Just a little snap on the neck, a pinch on the spine. He'll be conscious in an hour or two. No big deal. Once again, she was right. This boy _was_ all talk.

She called for help, to assist them back to his suite just so she could know where Klaus was. They were living at the penthouse, the receptionist said. He got one of his men to assist Blair and her unconscious friend back to his suite, and when the elevator doors opened there was that faint smell of blood in the air.

"You can just drop that thing there. I'll take care of it. You didn't see this mess, got it?" She compelled him and gave him fifty bucks for helping.

She looked around. The suite was awfully quiet. Too quiet. Yet she knew he was there. Something in her blood told her he was there. She looked back at the boy unconscious by the elevator and then searched for Klaus. She opened one of the rooms and found bloody girls dripping on the carpet, and on the sheets. It was disgusting.

"Hello, love."

When she turned Klaus was there, a grin spread across his lips dripping of blood. She made a face.

"Oh this?" he wiped the blood off. "Lunch, darling. Would you care to join me?"

"No thank you."

"Still on that diet, I see."

"Kind of."

"And you've got my ripper unconscious. I missed that side of you. Feisty and… hot."

"I can't believe you sent that kid to, what was that again, get my heart? Or whatever. That was a seriously desperate call for attention, Klaus. You should have known he wouldn't be able to do what he was told."

"I just wanted to see you again, Blair." His features softened a little, not all the way letting his guard down.

"What do you want?" she asked softly, seeing him—the side of him that she loved.

"Come. Let's talk somewhere less repulsive." He stretched his arm out for her, and like a moth to a flame she followed. She couldn't really trust him. Not really. Not after she learned from _previous encounters_ that he's killed more and more people over the centuries just because of a temper tantrum against a dead witch and her curse on him.

They were headed to the other side of the suite, to a study she guessed, and passed by the still unconscious ripper on the floor. Her eyes wandered over him, wondering if she had gone a little too far with the breaking of his bones.

"Don't mind Stefan, darling. I guess he needed that twist in the vein anyway." Klaus assured her.

She flinched. _Stefan? So this was _his _brother? The one held captive by Klaus?_ He didn't look like a prisoner to her. He was rather happy. Or maybe he turned it off. For the sake of forgetting. She was bothered by the thought of Damon's brother on the floor, helpless. She was there. She could save him. But why would she? She didn't want any part of their feud. Her and Klaus' story was a different part of her history. And that part was what she wanted to focus on at the time being.

She has tried to convince herself that she didn't love him anymore. He was a monster after all. The monster of all monsters. And yet this thought only drew her back to him.

"I just want you back," Klaus admitted, closing the door behind them. He let her sit on the couch as he sat in one of the armchairs across from her.

"Why? You had the chance to come back. I would have accepted you then. Maybe a century or two after you've left, sure. Maybe just after the sixties even. Why now, _Niklaus_? What's your motive?"

"Do I need a motive? I've made a mistake! And I've realized that it's not too late. We have got forever in our hands, Blair. Let me make it up to you."

"What if it is too late, Klaus? Would you kill me like you did so many people? Would you ruin my life? Would you imprison me like that Stefan boy? Will you go so low as to compel me to be yours? We both know you can do all of that and more."

He stared at her. Just stared. So much has changed. She used to love him more than the world. She used to brighten up whenever he was around. She used to smile a true smile. He's taken that away from her. He's taken that part of her humanity with him when he left. He fell into a silence, finding words, scrambling them. All of the words in the times that have passed with world seemed to have betrayed him.

"Blair, please. Let me _love_ you."

"You said love was a weakness, Klaus." She stood up and headed for the door, but before she left she turned to him said, "I will not let myself be weakened by you. Not again. Not now. Not anymore."

x x x

Blair got home that night finding herself exhausted. The minute she walked through the door, she took her shoes off, scrunched up her hair and slugged her way into her room. She just wanted to lie down, sleep, and not wake up in the morning. She even forgot that she left her things already at Serena's. She didn't really care. She just wanted to kill herself. Or not kill herself, just sleep an endless sleep. She felt like bringing these people around her now was life's way of getting back at her for being what she was.

She was taken aback by the figure lying on her bed, reading her diary in the dimly lit room.

As soon as he saw her, he sat up. "My applause to you, _Miss_ Blair. You can pretend all you want, but I remember."

"What are you talking about Damon? And how the hell did you get in here?"

Damon sped up to her, his face merely inches away from hers. She could feel his breath on her cheek,smell his scent. She held her breath as he inspected her face like it was a Da Vinci masterpiece.

"Don't play that game with me, Blair." He whispered.

He ran his knuckles from her temple, her cheek, to the base of her neck, feeling her fast-paced pulse, caressing her smooth skin. She was stunned with his conviction, his boldness. Then again it was he. And she's always seen _him._

"I remember. It's _you_." His eyes were on hers, soft and blue. His words were barely audible as if trying to conceal a secret.

She lost all words. She didn't know what to say. Actually, she did know what to say but she couldn't. She shook her head lightly as he continued. It's been years. Time has passed. Why did it feel like she needed to hide her heart away*, again? Why did they all have to come back all at once?

"_Why_ did you make me _for_get?"

* * *

><p>*Hiding my heart - Adele<p>

**N/A:** All I can say right now is ta-da! I really hope you liked this chapter as much as I enjoyed incorporating Blair into Damon's past. Still not done with the flashbacks, definitely. And we need a name for the Klaus/Blair tandem. More Stefan, Klaus, and Blamon: check. Again, I hope you liked this. XOXO.


	5. Rusty Halo

**Chapter 5: Rusty Halo**

Early 1400's

_Klaus found her one night, bleeding to death. Her aunt's husband was drunk and came home from the tavern in the mood that she hated the most. He has always made advances towards her. She always ran away somewhere until he was sober again. This time it was different. She was tired of just sitting still in the woods and waiting for dawn to come. She took a knife and hid it under her pillow for his return. She knew he would be drunk. He was always drunk. And as expected, he came into her room that night, but he wasn't alone. He was with his friend, the owner of the tavern. She, being so young and so flimsy certainly could not stop two big men from harassing her._

_She held onto the blade, and just as she was going to strike the man whose hand was on her shoulder, the other man holds her wrist in place. She started yelling and crying. Her uncle got the knife and started shredding her clothes, from the hem up while his friend pinned her down. She kicked him in the gut which angered him; he drove the knife right through her stomach. She screamed the loudest screamed Klaus has ever heard. In an instant he was there, breaking her uncle's neck first and then grabbing his friend's heart out next._

_She was crying and flopping on her bed as she held onto her stomach like she was having a seizure. Her eyes were on his. In just a few seconds she was going to die. She didn't fear it. She was just scared of what was to come when she did. He sat beside her, panicking. What was he supposed to do? Surely he could just let this human die. She was _just _that, a human. But he has been watching her ever since he's stepped on this village in Gateshead. And he's found himself grown rather attached to her._

_Without another thought, he bit down on his wrist and made her drink his blood. She held onto him as she drank and then, finally, she died._

_Blair was nothing like anything he's ever encountered before. She was fearless, stone hard, flighty, and yet she was so insecure, so unsure of herself, and so abyss-deep that when she saw him as what he really was instead of turning away, she stepped closer, touching his tense face, not caring if he was on the verge of eating her or not. She was something so rare, like a diamond in the rut. So he claimed her as his for nothing so rare should be given such freedom._

_It was remarkable to him how she even brightened up when she received magnificent amount of power. The unique ability she had was her speed, not only physically but mentally. She was able to process her being a monster quite calmly. They were in the woods of northern England, and she was running around, basking in the sun and eventually falling onto a pile of leaves._

"_I have never felt so good in all my life!" she smiled up at him as he approached her slowly. He smiled back at his creation. Never have they been so grateful for a new life._

_She sat up, still not wanting to wake up from this dream of hers. He kneeled down beside her and started pulling out pieces of dried leaves from her hair, his eyes so particular to her face, studying her beauty which caused her to blush._

"_So tell me. What are the rules?" she asked. He held her by the waist and pulled her up with him, her holding onto his arms._

"_Sweetheart, as long as you are with me there are no rules."_

_At first she was quizzical. She never knew a life without rules. She lived with a wicked aunt who enslaved her and refused to treat her as family, but her slight frown turned into a bright smile once she realized she was still holding onto him like she was holding onto life, and he was still holding onto her._

Blair was Klaus' pride and joy. She was the only person he let in, the only person he truly laughed and lived with. She was the child that none of them ever were. She made friends with everybody they met, even strangers Klaus soon had for dinner. He often pondered why someone like her would appear in such a high time of his life. He was compelled by her innocence and by her beauty though the first time he saw her she was filthy, having a bath in a river nearby. It was only now that he realized that she was sent to him because without her he would have killed a massive load of people without even thinking about it as he was a reckless rebel lord that nobody could ever decipher, except for her. She was his humanity, the only person who knew the way to Klaus' everlasting heart.

x x x

Stefan finally stood up after Blair had gone. He has been listening to their conversation and was quite interested in what part Blair played in Klaus' life. He first thought she was a witch, or somebody's daughter, or a werewolf even, but as she floated ever so lightly across The Palace he knew immediately what she was. Vampires had that look that nobody, not even the vampires themselves, could ever describe.

But she wasn't just the complex puzzle piece of Klaus' shadowy past that he assumed she was. She was more than that. She was oh so complex that the mere description of her in Klaus' book would be: love of life. And he among all people should know what it felt like to have one of those. He did not only feel remorse and compassion for his companion, but hope for him, too. If the great and mighty Klaus had felt love in his life, then there was still a chance to redeem him in some way. If worse comes to worse then he might be forced to use said love of Klaus' un-life as leverage. After all, that's the most important ingredient when making plans—making sure one has leverage.

Stefan went into the study where he found Klaus chugging down the last of his bourbon. His feet were up on the wide oak desk, and his eyes were distant, as if seeking for answers in the air he was breathing.

"You knew I wouldn't be able to do what you asked me to do." Stefan said, getting a drink of his own.

"I appreciate your great efforts Stefan. Thank you for bringing her here." He just tossed him a smile, that I-am-seriously-sad-but-you-wouldn't-know-it-and-now-its-time-for-payback smile.

"So what do we do now?"

"You, Stefan, can do whatever you want for now. Go to brothels, go get women, binge. I, however, have some pressing matters in need of attending."

"Like what?"

Stefan smiled again and shook his head as he stood. Whatever he was planning, Stefan wanted to know about it so that he would know how to get Elena out of Klaus' line of sight. Being on the enemy's side was the best strategy there was for them. He still didn't know she was still alive. And he wanted for things to stay that way.

"I will let you in on it soon, brother. For now, let us enjoy the city as it was meant to be enjoyed."

x x x

"I don't know what you're talking about, Damon." She pushed him away ever so gently that he barely moved. She stood her ground. She wasn't going to let her past catch up to her and rip her to shreds. She was going to win this argument.

"Liar!" He yelled. "I met you in Cambridge. I was on my way home but I met you."

"Can you just leave me alone? I've had enough irrelevant vampires showing up for the day. How about you come back, I don't know, _never_." She walked past him and sat on her vanity. She started removing her jewelry to appear busy.

"You're a coward." Damon sneered.

"Excuse me?" Blair turned to him in disbelief.

"You're the biggest coward I've ever met. Maybe even a bigger coward than Klaus. You do nothing but hide behind this façade that really does no hiding at all. Not to me. You're not fooling me."

"Who do you think you are?" she rose from her seat. "You come in my house and accuse me with… accusations that aren't even true. And you read my diary! Get out, Damon!" Her voice cracked at the end as if something got stuck in her throat.

Damon shook his head and scoffed. "You can pretend all you want but I remember you, Blair. I remember how you picked me out of the crowd, and how we spent those three weeks together. But you know what, it's fine. I'll drop it." He raised his hands in surrender and shrugged before turning to the door.

She watched as he walked out of her room, his head high with pride. She didn't want to hurt him, but she had to. _Now_ was not the time for them, not even _then_. She found it preposterous the amount of time they had in their hands and yet they didn't have time to be together. She wanted badly to admit to him that she knew what he was talking about, but it was too dangerous. If Klaus found out that she and Damon had known each other in such an _intimate_ level, it would be the end of him. Plus he had his human pet—_Elena_. She noticed how he looked at her. He had feelings for her. It was obvious, which was why she tried to conceal her identity, and which was why it confused her as to why he would show up in her home battling for the truth. If he's moved on with his human, why would he still hold on to her?

x x x

December 1863

_Damon has spent his third night at Blair's. He has occupied her bed from day 'til night ever since her winter vacation started just a week ago. He never left her side, like a new puppy who did not want to be left alone—abandoned. She woke up and ever so slowly pulled away from the comfort of his arms. He was just so beautiful, not just because he was naked and every piece of him had preciously sculpted muscle, but because he was an innocent boy who liked talking about home and life and his adventures as a confederate army soldier. He wasn't perfect, no. And he didn't try to be either. He was just Damon—human._

_He shifted his weight so that he was lying on his back. Blair smiled at herself and placed the softest of kisses on his lips before getting out of bed. She called for her handmaid to assist her with getting dressed. Just as she was about to finish putting on her gloves, Damon crept behind her, stealing a kiss._

"_Where are you going?" he whispered in her ear. He was trying to untie the string of her corset but she put his hands down and smiled up at him._

"_I just need to step out for the morning. A friend has asked me to accompany her to brunch."_

"_Will you take long? You know I have nothing to do here without you." He started getting dressed, still watching her every move._

"_I'm sure you'll find something. Why not play ball with them?" she tilted her head to the window referring to some boys playing with a football at the back yard._

"_You expect me to play with children? I don't even know how."_

"_I'm sure they'll teach you, but for now I shall bid you farewell."_

_Blair nodded at him and made her way to the door, but Damon followed her and pulled her back to him for a kiss. "I'll be here."_

_She felt her insides melt. She, too, didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay all day with him and not care if she starved, but the sooner she dealt with her unexpected visitor then the sooner she could go back to her Damon._

_She strolled through the town center to the other side of Cambridge. The note given to her the day before directed her to go inside the old apothecary, but when she got there not a living sole was to entertain her. Of course, considering that she wasn't meeting a living soul, she shouldn't have been worried._

"_Hello?" she called out at the abandoned space._

"_Blair,"_

_She turned to see a blonde full of smiles. She rushed towards her and held her in a tight embrace._

"_I've missed you, sister."_

"_I've missed you, too, Rebekah."_

_Rebekah took her hands and led her further inside, through the door where a small meal was set up for them—a servant girl sitting in a corner. Blair cringed._

"_I'm sorry. I forgot you didn't like servants, but I saw you yesterday with that… man. Tell me about him." Rebekah's eyes glowed as she sat across from Blair._

"_Ah yes_. Him._ Someone to help me cope with the holidays."_

"_I understand. How have you been?"_

"_How have _you _been? Why are you here?"_

"_You mean is my brother here? He's not. He's somewhere up north. One little bird whispered to me that you were lounging around Cambridge so I decided to drop by."_

"_I see."_

"_So… that boy. Any plans on keeping him after the holidays? He looks rather delicious if you ask me."_

"_Hm? He's nothing you should worry yourself with, Rebekah. He's just a boy."_

"_Precisely!" she grinned. "_Just a boy_. He doesn't mean anything to you, does he? Surely you can share your toy with an old friend?"_

"_No! I mean… he doesn't mean anything. A bed warmer." She gave her the most convincing smile she has got, but Rebekah knew better._

"_Blair, you might be my best friend but Nik is still my brother. Once he hears about you fancying a human, he would not be too happy with… _him_."_

"_Niklaus left me, Rebekah. He should not meddle in my life anymore. Can't he just let me be? Can't _you_ just let me be?"_

"_I cannot lie to him, you know that."_

"_Rebekah," her eyebrows were furrowed. She was obviously upset. She didn't want anything to do with the Originals. Not anymore. "Don't harm a hair on his head, or else."_

"_Or else what? What I was trying to say was that my brother is still a bit possessive. You might not know this but he has eyes wherever you go. It just so happened that this time, the eye was me. You are indeed a lucky girl."_

"_What do you suggest I do?"_

"_If you've really grown attached to this boy then I say leave him. Send him away. Dispose of him immediately before Nik gets any word of his existence."_

"_Damon loves me."_

"_Is that his name? Will he love you once he finds out who you truly are?"_

_Blair was speechless. She has never thought of her future, especially not a future with Damon. Surely she didn't love him, did she? She wanted to hit herself. She didn't want to see him hurt in anyway. He was an innocent man._

"_Very well, Blair." Rebekah rose from her seat. "It was nice meeting with you. I hope to see you again soon."_

_She placed a light kiss on her friend's cheek and led her servant girl out of the apothecary with her._

_Blair knew what was needed to be done, yet she wanted to be selfish with him. Just let the holidays pass. She just wanted a Christmas that was not so cold, a Christmas that meant being with someone even if he, too, was going to fade in time as everybody she had ever met had._

x x x

Klaus spent all night trying to track down an old witch he knew in New York. She came very handy when she was trying to track down Katerina's doppelganger. Maybe she could tell him why his plan of creating an army of hybrids wasn't working. And then maybe he could finally focus on what's really important—Blair Waldorf.

He found himself at the Hamptons so early in the morning, knocking on one of the old mansion-like houses New York's elite liked spending vacation in. There was no answer. He knocked again, harder this time. The door swung open and revealed his witch.

"Klaus," she gasped silently.

"_Celia_," he grinned, "how have you been?"

* * *

><p><strong>NA:** I just had to stop myself from Blamon splurging. I am quite fond of Blair and Klaus' history, too, actually. What do you think? I hope you liked this. XOXO.


	6. It's Been A Long Time Coming

**Chapter 6: It's Been A Long Time Coming**

"Klaus? What are you doing here?" She tried to hide the panic in her voice but Klaus could see how baffled she was to see him. It has been so long since they've seen each other.

"Yes, Cece, love. May I come in?" He grinned, "Oh wait. I can." He slid past the old woman and smiled to himself in amusement. Cece shut the door and invited Klaus into the salon for further discussion.

"I might say, you look ravishing since the last time I saw you, which was not so long ago. It feels like yesterday to me."

"Because you measure days with decades, dear Klaus. I know why you're here. News travels fast."

"So can you help me?"

"No." Cece said. "Your curse is as old as the Earth we step on now. It would be very difficult for me to try and find out what part of it you screwed up unless I contact the witch who put it on you."

"The Original Witch? She's very dead."

"I know. And for me to contact her, I would need help. Rebekah."

"Rebekah is… slightly less dead."

"She has what I need. Bring her to me."

"Not a problem then." He stood from his seat and made his way out. "I'll have her here by sun down."

Klaus nodded at his witch and left. He picked up his phone and tried reaching Stefan but he wasn't picking up. It worried him. Where could his best _friend_ be?

x x x

"B, where have you been all night?" Serena took her friend in her arms for a hug and then led her to their kitchen.

"I had a drink at the Palace and went home because I was tired." Her eyes were vacant as she took a sip of the coffee she had brought with her.

"No. There's something you're not telling me. I know you."

"Nothing, alright? Just leave it be."

"No, I can't leave it, _B., _something is bothering you."

Blair sighed. "Klaus got that Stefan boy to get me but he miserably failed. There."

"Who's Klaus?"

They turned to see Dan Humphrey. He looked confused and so lost that Blair almost laughed. Instead, she rolled her eyes. "What are you doing here, Humphrey?"

"Serena and I were supposed be going out for lunch?"

"No. You're going to go to lunch alone." Blair demanded.

"Sorry, Blair, but you're going to have to excuse Serena for the day."

Blair shot Serena a look. "Get rid of him?"

"Sorry, Dan, but we have an emergency to attend to."

"Concerning who? This Klaus person? And who's Stefan?"

Blair got on her feet and started pushing Dan to the door. "Stop meddling, Humphrey. Go back to Brooklyn."

"This really isn't necessary Blair,"

She pressed on the elevator door furiously. Once it opened, she shoved Dan inside the elevator with a wicked smile on her face only to be frustrated again by the vampire inside with him.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Blair yelled.

Serena quickly followed the two, scared that her best friend might not stop herself from spilling blood on her mother's carpet. She was silenced by Damon Salvatore inside the elevator, a smirk on his face.

"Damon?" Serena said.

"Damon? Who's Damon? Who are you?" Dan asked.

"Invite me in." Damon tried compelling, but he obviously failed. Dan didn't flinch. Instead, his attention went back to Blair who looked more furious than he's ever seen her.

"Don't, Humphrey!" she scolded.

"What are you?" Damon sneered at Dan.

"I'm not sure how to answer that question."

"Just let me inside, please. Serena?" Damon flashed the blonde a smile that could make a girl's heart melt.

"No!" Blair said.

"Why not just let him in? I can't hold the elevator forever." Dan said.

"Then don't hold it. Go away, both of you!"

"Serena?" Damon hummed. "I promise not to invade your privacy as long as we play nicely together."

"Serena, don't. He's bad news."

"Aw, come on, Blair. We had such a wonderful night last night."

"You were with him last night?" Serena asked.

"I'm letting go of this button," Dan announced. Damon, not being able to collect himself smacked him on the head leaving him unconscious on the floor.

"What the hell did you do, Salvatore?"

"Get him inside!" Serena said.

"Is that an invitation?"

"Yes!"

Damon took Dan's arm and dragged him into the penthouse. His very amused face didn't flinch one bit. As he walked past Blair he could have sworn heat was radiating from her. It only added to the fun of it all. Their situation the night before made everything clear to him. Of course she just used him, as Katherine used him after that, as Elena was using him now. And he let himself be used. He refused to be belittled by these women of power. Never again. Once he was done recovering Stefan, he would set sail somewhere and never return.

"Put him on the couch." Serena said to Damon who followed. He plopped the boy on the couch and then sat on one of the armchairs.

"What on Earth is going on here?" Lily emerged from the top of the staircase. "Who is this?" She walked down the stairs, her eyes on the man who was slowly making his way toward him.

"Mom, this is—"

"Damon Salvatore," he smiled.

"What have you done to poor Daniel? Who let you in?" Lily scanned the room, her eyes stopping at Blair.

"What? Lily, you know I would never betray your trust."

"It was me, mom. We needed to get Dan inside. I'm sorry."

"What happened?"

"Well, this… _thing_ wanted to get inside god knows why—"

"You know why, Blair," Damon interrupted.

"And the very oblivious Humphrey couldn't be compelled so he hit him, as do all monsters who need to get rid of something quickly."

"Why are you here?" Lily turned to Damon who had a very amused smirk on his face. It immediately vanished once he felt his brain arteries combust endlessly. He groaned and crouched down. He actually felt like he was going to die. Blair held her breath. She needed to interrupt her. She needed for her to stop.

"Why are you here?" Lilly demanded again.

"Klaus! I need for Blair to help me find a way to kill Klaus."

Lily stopped. Finally, Blair sighed. Even though she has never really undergone Lily's way of interrogation, she could feel it was worse than anything any witch has ever done to her before. She was a Rhodes witch after all.

"What is your connection to Klaus?" She asked Damon as she stopped inflicting pain on him.

"He has my brother and I would like to get him back."

"And how do you know Blair?"

He stared at Blair, and she stared right back, but her eyes were fierce and pleading. If that was how she wanted it then fine. Who was he to intrude in her current life anyway?

"We just met yesterday and I overheard them talking about Klaus so I dropped by to ask for help." Damon said innocently. Humanity shumanity. Who needed it anyway? Certainly not him. He's lived without it for a hundred and fifty years and he wouldn't be swayed by just a mere memory of his… _child_hood.

"Well then, girls. This is in your hands for the time being. I'm sure you can get out of this tangled web of yours in a jiff."

"But mom, it's Klaus. You _know _who he is." Serena argued, but she was simply shunned away by a wave of her mother's hand.

"I know. And I expect for this mess to be gone by tomorrow. Your grandmother's coming and I don't want her to get involved with this. You know how she feels about… vampires."

"But Lily," Blair pleaded.

"No buts. I don't want any part of this mess. I'm sorry Damon." She turned, "As for Daniel… I'll call Rufus for him."

"But mom!"

Lily shook her head and headed back upstairs. The three of them were left in an awkward silence. Serena was trying to analyze their problem as fast as she can. Hey eyes shifted from the floor, to Damon's feet, to Blair's feet, to Dan, and to the floor again. She could not just send Damon away knowing that someone was in danger, even if that someone was someone she didn't even know. Blair was trying to convince herself that she didn't want any part of this. It was a messy situation for her. And Damon. Damon could only stare at Blair whose eyes avoided his. She couldn't even look at him.

"I need a drink," Blair announced, marching up the stairs following Lily.

"I think you should go, Damon." Serena said in which he only nodded and left.

x x x

"I told you she was never going to help!" Elena yelled. "Why don't you ever listen to me, Damon?"

"It was worth a shot, _Elena_. She was our only lead!"

"Guys, calm down. Let's move on from this Blair person and get on with it." Caroline said, standing in the middle of the two before someone bites the other's head off.

Damon only stared at her. Let's move on from this _Blair person_? He almost rolled his eyes but instead he scoffed and went back to trying to find liquor in their hotel room.

"Caroline's right. We need another plan."

"I'm sure you can concoct something, Elena. You're the genius."

"What is up with this attitude, Damon? What hap—"

A knock on the door stopped Elena's interrogation just in time. Damon walked over and opened it to reveal Katherine. She had a smug look on her face. Obviously, she was listening.

"Katherine," Damon said.

"Hello to you too, Elena." She grinned at Elena who looked confused as ever. She hadn't seen Katherine since _that _night. "You look more confused than usual. Did Damon not tell you I was the one who got you this far along the chase? No? Well it's true."

"What are you doing here?" Elena asked.

"You called, I came. Now let's get this party started."

* * *

><p><strong>NA:** I know, I know. It's not very impressive and it lacks something. I do apologize. I've been distracted. It _will_ get better though. I promise! XOXO.  
><em>PS:<em> If you guys have time, take a peek into my very new, kind of very short Blamon period piece called "The Bracing Jump Into The Abyss of Immortality".


	7. The Garden Rules

**Chapter 7: The Garden Rules**

Blair was on her way out for brunch with Serena only her very blonde friend just had to forget her phone and come back for it. She waited by the lobby anxiously. Lately she didn't feel right being alone. Too many irrelevant people knew her. Two of which she didn't want to see anymore for the rest of her un-life. But that morning she had a feeling something was going to come banging on her door again. For help, again.

She was right, of course, because there striding like she owned the place into the lobby of Serena's penthouse was Elena. _His_ Elena. She wanted to snap her neck right on the spot. The very scent of her was annoying her, let alone her involvement with Damon. _Her Damon._

"What are you doing here, Elena?" Blair said, "Didn't I say I want nothing to do with your petty fight with Klaus?"

Elena stared at her unflinching. What the hell did she think she was doing? Was she not afraid of her vampire superiorness?

"I'm sorry, Blair," Elena said in a different, less annoying voice, "let me introduce myself. I'm Katherine."

"_Katherine_?" Blair looked at her, confused.

"Yes, and I do apologize for the trouble Damon has given you, but if you don't help us then we might just, I don't know, kill your witch?"

As if on cue, the elevator doors open to reveal a passed out Serena being assisted by a shorter blonde. Blair's eyes darted to the concierge who stood idly behind his counter as if nothing was happening. The guards, too, were standing by. She panicked.

"Is this some sort of joke?" Blair accused.

"I already compelled everyone to let us be. Don't worry. They'll snap out of it once you agree to help us find and kill Klaus. Or do you still let him toy around with your heart after all these years that he's left you alone to rot?"

Blair's eyes went from the blonde carrying her best friend who had a not so convincing fierce look on her face to Serena who looked helpless and actually heavy for once. She had no choice. If blondie wasn't going to kill Serena surely this Katherine person will.

"Let Serena go. It's me that you want."

Katherine smirked and nodded at Caroline who dumped Serena back into the elevator and pressed the up button. Blair clutched on her clutch for life.

"That was easier than I hoped it would." In a blink of an eye Katherine had syringe injecting vervain through Blair's blood, paralyzing and knocking her out.

Caroline was suddenly beside her, studying to unconscious girl lying in front of them as Katherine dialed a number on her phone. She was beautiful, Caroline noted, no wonder people were clamoring over her. She was Klaus' first Katherine said. And the rest was history.

"We've got her." Katherine said, a smile spreading across her face. She was pleased with herself. She didn't even have to lift a finger for this Blair to give in.

"How is she?" Damon said on the other line, trying to hide his concern with sarcasm.

"Oh you know, unconscious, as planned. You were right. The witch was the perfect bait. How did you know?"

"We all have our soft spots Katherine."

"Of course, Damon. Even you."

She heard him sigh through the phone. Of course he would never admit to it, as she didn't either. But it was true. They all had soft spots. The strongest ones just tend to do a better job at hiding theirs.

"I'll see you later, Katherine."

x x x

Blair woke up with a throbbing nerve in her head and her wrists and ankles bound to a chair. She tried moving her hands to rip them off but the little movement she made caused her pain. She tried to speak but her throat was dry. It felt like she hasn't eaten in days. She tried to open her eyes but all there was was darkness. She had been blindfolded.

She heard voices. It wasn't very far but she found it hard to hear. The other voice was of a girl. Elena's? No. It was different. It was from that girl with her face. And the other, as much as she wanted not to know whose it was, was Damon's. He was behind this?

"Where are you going?" Damon asked Katherine.

"Somewhere." She hummed. Her voice was definitely not Elena's. It was less annoying and more husky and sultry. Seductive, if you may. The thought of her seducing Damon only made the throbbing in Blair's head hurt more, but then she remembered it was she who pushed him away and disowned him. She had no say in anything.

"Is the blind fold necessary?"

"Yes, Damon. We don't want her to compel Mrs. Hendrickson here, would we? We don't know what she's capable off."

"I _know_ what she's capable of!" Damon let slip. "Absolutely nothing. You've got her high on vervain. She can't even move."

"Ah Damon. This is why I put Alaric on Blair duty. Tell me what's going on with you? Have you already developed a crush on Klaus' favorite pet?"

Pet? Did she just call her a pet? Did she not know who she was referring to? Of course not. Blair sighed. It was the only thing she can do. That and listen.

"No," he simply said.

"Why not? She has brown eyes and brown hair. I see a pattern starting to form here, Damon." Her voice was more irritating than ever. What did she mean by that?

"Oh Katherine. Are you jealous?"

"Me? Why would I be jealous? I was your first after all."

Blair wanted to scream, but she couldn't. She also wanted to roll her eyes, but it hurt. She wanted to break her neck. But she couldn't. She was trapped in darkness. She made a decision to not acknowledge being part of Damon's life. She had to live with that. But until when? Until when was she going to hide from him?

"And we all know first loves never die," she could hear Damon smiling.

"Not in this case." Katherine said. "I'll be back before you know it."

The door opened and then closed. The air was still until she felt a presence in front of her. She didn't need her eyes to know it was him. He stood in front of her. She wasn't sure how far but she sensed not too distant.

"Help," she tried saying, but her voice was low and barely audible, cracking because it was unused. She tried clearing her throat and moving her fingers just so he'd notice she was trying to communicate with him.

"Damon," she said, her voice still rough, but clearer than it was the first time she tried speaking. "Help me."

He said nothing at first, but after a while she felt him move closer, right in front of her. She wanted to reach out to him, but she was restrained. It angered her.

"Let me go," she whispered. Her head hung low as she tried to move her hands more.

He still didn't answer. Instead, he watched her. Her lips were cracked and dry. Her skin had lost its glow. Her cheeks had sunken, her bones protruded.

"Help me," she said again. He was sure she heard what he and Katherine talked about. She had to. He didn't want to feel sorry for her hearing it either.

"I heard you the first time, Waldorf." He said coldly.

"Get me out," she said slowly, pulling weakly on her manacles.

"I can't. If I do, Ric's got permission to skewer me."

"Please, Damon."

"No, Blair."

"Just the blindfold then?" Her voice was turning back to normal, if you could call it that. She still couldn't raise her voice above the average.

He stayed silent again, pondering over her request. He did find it ridiculous that Blair was blindfolded, but Katherine did have a point too. She might compel their hostess—or worse—compel him. Despite his inner debate and the caution he had to take, he slowly reached up to her face and to the back of her head, pulling off the dark handkerchief Katherine just happened to have.

Her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the light. She tilted her head up to find that Damon was right in front of her, sitting on a backwards-facing chair. Somehow she regretted asking him to take off what separated her eyes from his.

"Thank you," she said, but immediately remembered her ring. When she looked at her hand it was gone. She panicked.

"Are you looking for this?" Damon held up the ruby ring, sensing her alarm, and then put it back into his pocket. "I'll hold on to it for now."

"Give it back!"

"Behave or else I'll have to blindfold you again."

"I'm sure you'd like that," she snapped, no longer restrained by the dryness of her throat.

"I'm sure _you_'d like that, Miss Waldorf."

"What do you people want from me? I've told you a million times, I'm not going to help you find and destroy Klaus."

"Of course Blair. We understand the depth of your situation. In one hand you have the douche who turned you into a monster, and on the other hand you have… oh wait. You don't have anything on the other hand. My bad." He smirked. He was being arrogant and obnoxious, like a child who wanted to pull out the guilt card.

"You will never understand what he did for me, Damon. None of you will. All you know is this monster who likes playing with his _pets_," Blair said. She wanted him to be jealous. She wanted him to know about Klaus. She wanted him to want her again, despite the fact that she practically shoved him away and changed the locks of her heart for him. She wanted him to fight for her.

"Nik was a human, just like everybody else. You know what they say. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger? I've witnessed as he was hurt by people he once loved. It's what makes him the _man_ he is today."

"Man? He's not a man. He's a monster."

Blair paused. Of course he was. So was she, so was Damon, and Katherine, and this Caroline, and a lot more people she's met.

"And so are you! And so are the rest of us. The only difference is_ some_ of us don't let our _monster egos_ take over our lives."

"Are you suggesting that you have been this innocent angel that everyone, even that witch of yours, thinks you are? Well you're not."

"Serena knows exactly who I am and who I was, Damon. And she stuck around."

"You should get pointers on sticking around from her then!" He yelled, getting up from his chair. He buried his face in his hands and rubbed it of his frustration.

"What are you talking about?" Blair asked, in spite of herself.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about! Why can't you just admit it?" So much for not being her toy. Why was she blessed with this power to provoke and to taunt without doing anything? It was unfair.

"Admit what, Damon? What do you want me to admi—"

"Admit that you loved me!" he shouted, then lowered his voice as he sat back on the chair. "That you were that girl from Harvard who had me wrapped around your little gloved finger. That you were that girl who played with me. The very first one who turned the tables on me." _The very first one to break my heart._

"I don't know what—" she started again, but she was stopped by a groggy Alaric who still had one eye closed and a stake in hand.

"What's going on here? It's three in the morning, Damon. And why is she not blind folded? What if Mrs. Hendrickson comes down for a snack?"

"Mrs. Hendrickson was compelled not to come down here."

"Just keep it down."

"No problem. I'm done here anyway," he glared at her, walking outside, handing Alaric the handkerchief. Alaric walked over to her and blindfolded her again.

"How long have I been here?" She asked.

"A day." He said nonchalantly.

"When are you going to let me go?"

"When we're through with you."

"And when is that?"

"Soon, hopefully."

She heard him headed for the door, tapping his stake on his other hand casually.

"Alaric," she called.

"What?"

"How much of that did you hear?"

"I won't tell if you two don't want me to."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because Damon's my friend, Blair. I've learned to keep my mouth shut over time."

x x x

Klaus had called Stefan and asked him to follow him to the Hamptons. Stefan had no idea why. He was just given a home address and a car. It was easy enough. But what could Klaus really be doing at the Hamptons? It wasn't summer. It was never mentioned before, ever. And it was mostly a small vacation town. Nothing special. Not to him anyway.

He got there just a few minutes after eight in the evening. He parked the car in front of a big white house. Amagansett, Klaus' instructions said. Maybe it was another new purchase, or somebody's summer house he just wanted to acquire. When an old woman opened the door after he rang the doorbell, he became speculating.

"Hi, I'm Stefan Salvatore._ Klaus'_ friend."

"Of course you are. Come in." She said. "Klaus is right down the hall."

"Thank you."

Stefan followed the woman's instructions and Klaus was, indeed, down the hall in a lavish living area. Not alone though. He was on the couch watching as a blonde girl, not more older looking than Stefan was, was rummaging through a suitcase, going over piece per piece of clothing.

"Ah Stefan! I'm glad you made it. But a little too early for Rebekah here, I suppose."

"Where'd you get her?" He asked. The blonde on the floor was instantly right in front of him, eyeing him from head to toe.

"So you're Stefan Salvatore," she said in the same accent as Klaus'. She was wearing a white dress, from the twenties, Stefan noticed, a blood stain covered the center of it though. Immediately, the puzzle seemed to have solved itself.

"I'm Rebekah. Nik's sister. Pleasure, I'm sure." They were_ definitely_ related.

"Certainly," he said back, not knowing what to say exactly. Aside from Elijah and Klaus, he has never seen or met an original. And to meet this girl version of them seemed to have hushed him.

"What's wrong with him, Nik? He's too polite." She asked her brother over her shoulder.

"That's just how Stefan is, sister. You'll learn to love him in time."

"So did you call for a family meeting?" Stefan asked Klaus. Rebekah went back to rummaging into the suitcase.

"No, Stefan, I called because I need you to fetch Blair."

Stefan stared at Klaus, stunned. "You made me go all the way up here for that?"

"No. Not only that. Rebekah wants to come and I couldn't let her wander off. She knows nothing of this new world. Would you please be ever so kind as to taking my sister to her?"

"Alright."

"First I need to get decent things to wear. And everything here is too long!" Rebekah complained.

Klaus was just about to laugh when felt his phone ringing and immediately excused himself to answer it seeing as it was coming from Blair's phone. He let it ring one more time before he anxiously answered it.

"Darling, I was right when I told you long ago that you have the abilities of a psychic." He smiled to himself.

There was a brief pause before the person on the other end sighed. Much to his surprise and disappointment, the sigh wasn't Blair's. He knew her sigh. She had that signature span of air that only she could let out of her mouth in one go.

"Is this Klaus?" The voice said, shaky, nervous, probably knew who he was and what he was capable of.

"Where's Blair?" He demanded.

"She's missing. Someone took her. A vampire."

"Which vampire?"

"I don't know. But one of them was a blonde girl,"

"And who might this be?"

Another pause. He felt her hesitation as she disclosed her identity. And it brought him much amusement when she did.

"Serena. Serena van der Woodsen. I apologize, I just don't know who else to call."

"It's alright, Serena. Thank you for that information. You have been quite helpful."

"Are you going to look for her—?"

"No, petal, not right now. She will be fine though, I promise."

* * *

><p><strong>NA:** I couldn't resist. I just had to have Rebekah somewhere. I hope you stay tuned! Also, I have found yet another song for our beloved Blamon playlists.  
>The Garden Rules by Snow Patrol:<br>_"You leave me with a kiss.  
>On my quickly heating cheek.<em>  
><em>Oh you'll never know how much I love you so.<br>Oh you will never know how much I love you."_

XOXO.


	8. A Fickle Heart And Bitterness

**Chapter 8: A Fickle Heart And Bitterness  
><strong>

When Damon finally woke up after his pre-morning binge with Johnnie Walker—the only available, and drinkable, substance in Mrs. Hendrickson's house—it was mid afternoon and Alaric had just slowly slipped the empty bottle from under his arm and placed it on the coffee table which held most of his empty bottles. He took a peek with one eye and contemplated on getting up but when Ric drew the curtains to let in the sunshine, he withdrew, groaning in agony.

"Get up, Damon," Alaric kicked his leg that was dangling off the edge of the sofa where he passed out.

He only groaned again and buried his face into the softness underneath him. He didn't felt like breathing that day. In fact, he wanted it to stop.

"Get up or I'll kill you," Ric warned, kicking his leg again.

"Then do it," he said, his head still pressed down on the couch. Aside from his neck, other parts of him seemed immobile. Too much Johnnie Walker, perhaps, but he countered himself that there's never too much Johnnie he can take.

"Wait, give me a chance to change my previous statement," Ric leaned into his friends ear and whispered; "get up, or I'll kill _her_."

That seemed to have done it because the next thing Ric knew; he was pinned on the wall opposite the couch with Damon's bloodshot eyes the only things he could see. His fingers were locked on his throat and the only feeling he felt was rage. And maybe desperation. Misery.

Once Damon realized Ric was losing the ability to breathe, he let him go, not looking as he choked and fell on the ground. He studied the bottles on the coffee table. Walker Blues and Blacks and Golds. And one bottle of a cheap pinot noir. All empty. The last he consumed this much alcohol all in one go was around the late 1800's, when memories of her started clicking together giving him the final conclusion that she was real, and that she was a vampire.

And that she abandoned him.

"Where's Katherine?" He asked Ric once he was back on his feet. "Where's Caroline and Elena?"

"They're all down stairs with Blair."

"Why?"

"Trying to get information since you didn't quite perform the way we needed you to," he sighed.

Damon looked back at Ric, his friend, his hand still easing his throat. He heard what was said between him and her. He must have, or else why would he use her as a form of motivation? But he mentioned nothing about eavesdropping as they walked down to the basement where they kept her. He heard Katherine trying to press a point. Something about knowing how to kill Klaus. And Elena adding to the question. If his eyes didn't hurt so much he would have rolled them. How ironic they were being.

Blair wasn't very cooperative, he presumed. He heard nothing from her since he started hearing Katherine and Elena. A still silence and then a mixture of a grunt and a scream trembled in his head. In a second, he was gone from Ric's side and at the doorway.

She was still strapped to the chair only she looked worse than when he last saw her. A stake had just been pulled out of her shoulder. He cringed. Her eyes fluttered open and were directly trained on his. He didn't quite understand her look. Was it hurt? No. It wasn't. He'd know the look of hurt in her eyes even if she were miles away. Anger? No. If she was angry, she wouldn't still be bound on the stupid chair. Despair maybe, or, desperation. Yes. One of the two. Her eyes were glossy with tears. She was calling out to him. But as he was just about to step in the room to go to her, Caroline steps in front of him, blocking the way.

"Sorry, Damon. No boys allowed."

Elena's head turned to him only briefly, and Katherine made no effort to acknowledge his presence at all.

"Step away and let me through, _blondie_," he sneered.

"Can't, Damon."

He narrowed his eyes at her. He could tell by her brave façade that she, too, didn't like watching the torture game Katherine was playing. But she had to help find Stefan, even if guarding the door was her only contribution to it.

"And why ever not?" He snorted.

"Because you're too hung-over to even keep your eyes open. You can't help now. Just go back to bed."

"Hey, I _was_ in bed but Ric here decided to rid me of any peace and quiet."

"Why?" Caroline asked Alaric, who had just appeared from the stairwell.

"Yeah, Ric, why?" Damon asked.

Another scream echoed in his head. Katherine had just stabbed her again, on the other shoulder this time. She still said nothing. She still didn't tell them how to kill Klaus. He wanted to get to her. Pain replaced the mellowness in her eyes as he searched for them while confusion clouded Elena's as she watched how Damon reacted to each painful pull of the stake.

"I don't know," Alaric said behind him, "maybe I was bored. He drank all the good stuff."

Damon pushed Caroline aside to pass, not violently, not even with much effort, but she just let him. There was no point in arguing, she thought. He was going to pass eventually.

"What the hell are you doing, Katherine? You're going to kill her before you get anything from her." He tried to sound as careless and unconcerned as possible. The alcohol helped.

"She'll have to say something eventually—" it wasn't Katherine who answered him, but Elena. This just added more fuel to his annoyance.

"I wasn't talking to you," he scowled, "why are you even putting up with this… _method_ of extraction, _Elena_? I thought you were the most human of us all."

"She has the Petrova heat, Damon. Can't blame her for wanting to know how to get to Stefan." Katherine said.

"You're defending her now?" Damon exclaimed.

"He's at the Palace," Blair whispered. Everyone's heads snap to her as it was the first thing she's said since Katherine started hurting her that morning.

"Where?" Elena asked.

"Stefan. The Palace Hotel. Penthouse."

"He wasn't there," Katherine pressed, "I checked."

"Then I can't help you."

"You can start with how to kill Klaus and work your way around that."

Silence. Her eyes reached Damon again before she lowered her head in retreat. Katherine threw the stake on the floor with a growl.

"Blair, just tell us what you know. It could be about everything." Elena pleaded, but she was gone. Dead to the world until the vervain washes away and her wounds heal.

Katherine tapped Blair's cheek to check for any sign of life before she stormed out of the small room.

"Where are you going?" Caroline called out, but all she heard in response was the loud bang of the front door. They all cleared out of the basement soon enough and Damon found himself in his room again, staring at the untouched bottles before him. Elena knocked on the door lightly, trying not to startle him, but his eyes jump a little, still.

Without a word, she sat on one of the armchairs and just stared at the state he was in. He was in his own part of the world, so distant from the rest. She's never seen him so lost. So human.

"Why do you think Katherine had to resort to such a terrible way of finding out things?" She blurted out.

Damon looked at her for a bit and then his eyes went straight back to the bottles. He shrugged and tried to block out the only possible reason Katherine would go to extremes to kill Klaus, and most importantly, find Stefan. It was because she wanted to get him back more than anyone else did.

x x x

"I don't understand what you're saying, Rebekah." Klaus glared at his sister from across the room as she tried to explain why the necklace wasn't with her. It was the key to it all—his hybrid curse.

"What I'm saying, Nik, is that Blair has it. I gave it to her for safe keeping."

"Why on earth would you do that?"

"Because she knew how much my mother meant to me," she growled in frustration.

"So you assumed she would keep it—?"

"Yes! Because she was my best friend, until you disposed of her and made me choose. If you hadn't, then we wouldn't even be in this situation right now, would we?"

"Then I suggest you and Stefan retrieve the necklace from her immediately."

Without further instruction, they were sent to Manhattan where Stefan had to drive for two hours with Rebekah yapping on about how it was Klaus' fault why they didn't have the necklace in the first place. 'If he hadn't left her then I wouldn't have given her the necklace when we met up again'.

It was early evening when they got to Blair's apartment but they couldn't get in. No one was anywhere near to elevator to let them in, and when the concierge tried phoning the penthouse no one was answering. She was gone. And so was her maid.

"This can't be happening right now." Rebekah shook her head as they made their way back to the car.

"What do you suppose we do?"

"Find her. Take the necklace. Take her. Go home. Wherever that is."

"Didn't Klaus say Blair had a witch?"

"Are you suggesting that we march right up to her and tell her, 'hey, where's Blair, and my necklace'?"

Stefan raised an eyebrow as the corners of his mouth tugged on themselves for a smirk. "Yes," he chirped. "Why don't we? She's Cece's granddaughter."

"Exactly, Stefan. Cece. Have you met her?"

Stefan only laughed. And this laugh resonated in Rebekah's head until they reached the Van der Woodsens. It honestly annoyed her but she had to endure it 'til Nik decides when he would dispose of his ripper. The realization that the possibility of that might be slim kicked in when he compelled the concierge to let them go up to the penthouse.

Rebekah took the lead and marched in the elevator furiously. Stefan, a few steps away, spotted a very eerie figure just outside of the lobby, staring at him.

"You go ahead," Stefan called, "I'll ask around down here."

She agreed, seeing as one more unfunny retort from him would probably result to something very messy. With blood. And broken bones. As soon as the elevator reached a fair number of floors, he walked outside to meet her. She smiled up to him as she always did but he didn't return it. In fact, he found himself frowning.

"Aren't you happy to see me, Stefan?" she cooed.

"What are you doing here, Katherine?"

"Just stopped by to say hi. Don't you miss me?"

"No. Where's Blair? I know you must have something to do with her disappearing."

"Still the smart cookie, aren't you? Yes, she's with me. No, I won't give her back unless he surrenders you to us."

"Just leave New York, Katherine. Leave with Damon and Caroline and whoever else is hauled up with you."

"I checked your hotel suite. You weren't there. Where are you, Stefan? And why are you with Rebekah?"

"Go home, Katherine,"

"But home is not home without you, Stefan," a smirk surfaced on her face as she watched Stefan's reaction to her impersonation of Elena.

"I bet you have something planned," she continued, "something up your sleeve."

Stefan shrugged and turned back to the door but Katherine pulled on his arm, ever so lightly, her wicked smirk gone.

"Brooklyn," she whispered. And without another word she was gone.

Stefan stood dumbfounded for a moment before heading inside. Why would she give away their location? Why would she do that knowing that Klaus would eventually extract this information from him? Yes. That was it, wasn't it? She wanted for Klaus to know exactly where they were, to know exactly where Blair was so that they could make a trade. Him in exchange for her. Simple. Clean. Quick.

x x x

"What is it called again?" She asked him as she shifted in his arms, watching as he dangled the flower above them. It was beautiful—white on its outer layers but in the middle was a touch of the lightest pink.

"It is a peony. My mother grew them in her garden." He twirled its stem in his fingers and pressed it down on her nose lightly earning another smile from her.

"It is a beautiful flower," she reached for it and he let her have it. As he let her have everything she wanted for the past week that they have spent together—the lace gloves in the store, the chocolates from the bakery, his kisses, his love—everything.

"A beautiful flower for the most beautiful girl," he smirked.

She put the flower on her nose again to smell it and looked back up at him. His smirk was wicked. It didn't take long before his eyes intensified and veins started protruding around them. She panicked and tried to scramble out of his arms but she seemed to have lost the ability to move. She tried speaking but no words came out of her mouth. It was only when he bore his fangs that she found it in her to scream.

"No!" She jolted up of bed, panting, eyes watery. She was alone in bed and it wasn't 1863 anymore.

"Nightmare?" she was startled by a voice in front of her. Damon lounged on a chair with a glass of wine in his hands, only it wasn't wine. It was blood.

Of course. He tampered with one of her most beautiful memories and turned it into something horrible. When she didn't speak, he walked over to her and offered her the glass. She only stared at it.

"Go on. Take a sip. I know you've been dying to eat." He waved the glass under her nose and she felt her facial muscles tighten. She didn't want it. She didn't want him to see her eat, even if it was acceptable. It wasn't right. She was never a vampire in front of him before.

"Look, I'll even drink from it just to prove to you that it isn't poisoned or anything," he brought the goblet to his lips and took one long sip. She wanted to cringe. He was a vampire now. She can't save him from being that anymore.

He offered it to her again but she only stared, confused probably, or sorry. Either way she looked like hell and he didn't like it. He took her hand forcefully and put the stem of the glass in it. She held it alright. And that's all she did.

"Blair you need to eat something before you deteriorate into some wooden corpse."

"Wouldn't that be best for everyone?" No, she thought, answering her own question. If she died and Klaus found out about Damon then he's dead. She wouldn't be able to save him.

"Don't play the oppressed dying vampire card on me now," he lifted her hand and guided the rim of the glass to her lips but she resisted it. "Why are you being so difficult?"

"Why are you trying to make me do things I don't want to do?" she yelled.

"What? You want to die? I'm sure Katherine still has that stake of hers. I'll run it through your heart myself!"

"Do it then!"

"Children!" Alaric yelled from the doorway. They didn't even notice him standing there. Somehow their mixed emotions toward each other blocked everything out. They were in their own bubble of anger and frustration and anxiety.

"Get him away from me," Blair said to Ric.

"Give her some privacy, Damon," Alaric said.

"You friends with her now,_ Ric_?"

"Just leave me alone, Damon."

"Fine! You're so good at being that, right, being alone?" He marched out of the room but in the hall she could heard him yell 'what' to a person furry taking over his voice. Probably Elena. She didn't care. She disliked Elena. Ric still stood where he was.

"Someone wants to see you," he said after Damon was long gone. Blair didn't look up from the goblet of blood and waited for Ric to continue but instead someone else's voice followed and Ric was gone.

"B," the voice said cautiously.

Blair's head snapped to the doorway and there was Serena, alive. Alive and well. _Alive, well, and here? _She stared at her, even more confused than before. Maybe they have taken Serena hostage as well since they needed a witch? But she didn't look like she was distraught because of captivity. She looked worried.

"Serena," she gasped. "Serena what are you doing here?"

She must have been the one Damon yelled at for looking at him a certain way. He didn't get it. That was just how Serena looked like.

"Are you alright? You should drink that. I got it from your supply,"

"Serena, what are you doing here?" Blair asked firmly.

"She's here," Katherine appeared by the doorway, "to help me kill Klaus."

* * *

><p><strong>NA:** Drunk Damon and Tantrum Throwing Damon. And a small background as to why Peonies are Blair's favorite flowers. Tada! Also, Stefarine because as of the moment I can't seem to ease Elena anywhere. I shall try though. This feels like a filler chapter but I'll eventually get to the point after the holidays. It's just that a lot of things are distracting. Anyhow, reviews could be your Christmas gift to me, guys :) XOXO.


	9. Like Little White Doves

**Chapter 9: Like Little White Doves**

Serena and Blair were finally left alone after Blair commanded them to do so. They both sat quietly on the bed, Blair nursing her drink which she still hadn't had the feel to drink yet. She was always self conscious when other people are around to watch her eat, even when she was with Klaus. Even when what she ate at the time were harmless woodland creatures. She remembered Rebekah always trying to sway her, and she was eventually, when they were in places where animals weren't fed the right way—the slowly urbanizing areas. She enjoyed little slave girls, the ones that cried when she looked at them. She enjoyed a handful of lords and men of power. She found them petty and stupid. Most of them had mistresses crawling from land to land. She picked those ones. The ones the world had no use for and the ones that world can live without. Klaus always commented on how neurotic she got when picking her pray. Sometimes it took her weeks to decide since she only picked one host per location.

And they _did_ relocate quite a bit.

She almost sighed as she remembered the first time she watched someone transition, halfway, that is. Klaus didn't let the poor girl live. She tried to save her from a beating in one of the small towns in France by giving her her blood, but Klaus snapped her neck. And while transitioning, he tore her heart out. Sick.

She felt sick just thinking about it. She felt sick remembering how monstrous they lived—she, Rebekah, Klaus, and Elijah. She wondered what happened to Niklaus' siblings who treated her as if she was family. Elijah was one always to sneak her out of a sticky situation. Once she refused to eat for days because Klaus wanted her to go on an all-human diet. They went hunting without Klaus' permission. He was busy trying to find some witches. They searched everywhere in the wood. She wasn't weak but she wasn't particularly strong either. She felt human again, even for a bit, because the coldness affected her. And she grew tired with just walking. Elijah got her something eventually. A rabbit. It was snow white, soft, and delicious. She remembered how it turned rose-red almost immediately after her first few bites.

Rebekah was more like Klaus than Elijah was. She liked tempting Blair with stable boys and huntsmen. She liked following Klaus around. She liked being a brat. But she didn't mind her. It was what made her who she was. Her humanity—with her fondness of boys and trying not to get in trouble. She was born that way, she guessed. She never did know much about their family. Except that they were running from someone.

"I'm sorry they put you through this," Serena's voice snapped her out of her reminiscing. Annoyed, she rolled her eyes and pretended that she was angry. She wasn't though. She was actually happy Serena was there.

"Let me guess. You agreed to help them find Klaus to stop them from torturing me. You shouldn't have, Serena. I can handle myself."

"Not from the looks of it," Serena gestured to her physical appearance. She was pale, she had a few wounds that weren't bleeding but they were still there because she refused to eat. Her clothes were torn. And her hair was a mess.

"Why would you help them kill Klaus?" Blair accused, not really minding what she looked like. She's been worse.

"Because I want him out of your life, B, out of _our_ lives. For good. He can't just go around and toy with people. That's just not how life works."

"But we're dead! That's the whole point of it, Serena. You shouldn't be involved with this. It's not safe for you."

"I want to help. Who else will help you get away from him? Look, they have a witch back in Mystic Falls. She's strong. She's a Bennett witch. She helped make Klaus believe that Elena was dead so that he'd go away. I'll have someone who can help me."

"So? That doesn't mean he doesn't have witches as powerful, or worse—more!"

"Blair. I can handle it. I'm a big girl now."

"Sure,_ Serena_. Seventeen. Yeah. What a big girl you are." Blair couldn't help herself. She gulped down the blood in one go. And it felt marvelous. Her color came back and she felt her strength rush into her veins with an overwhelming need for more, but she calmed herself. She told herself there'll be more later, eventually.

"Do you not want us to kill Klaus because you still love him?" Serena asked. She should have asked that before she had her energy back. Leave it to Serena to always have bad timing.

"Love is a vampire's greatest weakness, Serena." She said blandly. "It was mine. But it can't be anymore."

"So why not agree to kill him?"

"Because no one knows how, that's why. So best wishes to them if they find something that kills him. Now unbound yourself from them, and from me, because I'm leaving New York as soon as I can." She stood up, sadness in her eyes, and in a second she was gone.

Past the three flights of stairs, the living room where the others were, and smack into the open doorway. Smack. She pounded on what seemed to be an invisible barrier between her and the dark world outside. She grunted and hit the nothingness that was there with all her might but she couldn't break it, whatever it is.

"Save it, Blair, Serena's put a spell on the house and it won't—" she heard Elena say behind her. She turned furiously and pinned her to the far side of the wall, her hand on her throat, tempted to crush her spine.

"Shut up!" She yelled. Elena struggled to get her away, clawing on her arm, but there was nothing. And suddenly she was on the floor, gasping for air, Blair pinned on the dining table by Damon.

"No." Damon shouted in her face. Veins were bulging around his blue eyes, intense, his fangs bare. It was like the nightmare he gave her, but this was real. He was a monster, just like her. And he was a monster who was in love with Elena.

She struggled to get away from him but she wasn't strong enough. Not yet. Her fingers drew blood from his arms as she tried to pry them away from her shoulders. Once he felt himself bleeding, he let go of her, not fully stepping away as his face was still inches from hers.

"You touch her again and I'll kill you," Damon warned. Half of her wanted to believe him. Half of her knew he wouldn't. Or would he? Would he really kill her for Elena? She did compel him to carry on with his life. And he did. With her, apparently.

She looked away to fight crying. She hasn't cried in a while. Maybe this would just do it. The human she tried to save was now saving another human. It was different. He wasn't hers anymore. He was not her Damon. I should stop calling him that, she thought. She should. He didn't belong to her. Not anymore. He belonged to Elena.

"What happened?" Serena finally got to them and Damon pulled back and placed himself beside Ric by the other doorway which led to the kitchen.

"Tell your friend not to harm the humans or else I'll strap her back onto the chair." Damon said.

Caroline had already brought Elena out of the room and Katherine stepped in, a grin on her face. Blair stared at her, wanting to slap it off her. She looked exactly like Elena and it was tempting not to. Technically, she wasn't human. But she did drive those stakes through her.

"Blair?" Serena called. She was still lying on the table, half of her body dangling off the edge. She didn't want to move.

"How could you keep me here, Serena?" She tried to make it sound like her sadness was because of the caging spell. "How could you help them instead of me?"

"It's for your own good, Blair. We need you here. We knew you were going to run off as soon as you eat."

"How? Not like I'm saying I won't. I just did. But why would you think that?"

"_Someone_ just guessed." Alaric said. Immediately she knew who he meant. Out of all of them, Ric was starting to be her favorite. He was most tolerable.

Blair sat up on the edge of the table, her legs dangling, still, over the side. She scanned the room and then went back to her room in a flash. She didn't want to see any of them. She didn't want to get involved in this. It was about Klaus. Klaus who loved her and cared for her and gave her life. Klaus who she loved and cared for too. Somehow. She curled up into a ball in the middle of the bed to feel anything. But she just felt hurt, by everyone—Klaus, Damon, Serena, even that little Elena person. She wanted to rip her to shreds. But that wasn't rational. The word jealousy shouldn't have even come to mind.

She had to choose. Klaus or Damon. That was the truth. She needed to pick a team and fight for it. Either way she'll be hurt. She wondered if other vampires in the world had to deal with things like this. But then she remembered she was Blair Waldorf. Of course they didn't have to since one original drama is bad enough.

A few hours later someone knocked on her door, cautiously. She expected for it to be Serena but by just listening to the human's breathing patterns, it wasn't. It was Alaric. Someone bearable. She sat up and watched as he closed the door and sat on the edge of her bed.

"Did you pull the shortest string?" She asked.

"No. They all decided you don't hate me yet." He offered a nervous smile.

"True. Unless what you're about to say is something totally stupid, which I hope for your sake, isn't. So what did they want you to say? Did they write down a script for you?"

"They did, actually. They didn't write it down. They just wanted me to tell you that no, you cannot hurt Elena."

She rolled her eyes at this and scoffed. "Is that all? I'll have a better chance at not hurting her if I wasn't here, you know?"

"I know," he sighed. "They also told me to convince you to help kill Klaus, but as you said, you don't want anything stupid so I'm going to not follow their script and just give you something to think about."

"Like what? Like 'what do I really want in life?'" She rolled her eyes to her question. She was sure if Alaric did those kinds of things, he would have too.

"No," he shook his head. "Things like: did you really love Klaus? Since when? Why? Do you ever ask yourself if your love for him was just compulsion? And then think about the other. And then choose a side."

"Are you trying to get on my bad side?" She asked, even though she was already thinking about it.

"Just think about it, Blair. Are you sure who you're fighting for is someone worth trusting?"

Blair stared at Alaric. She didn't trust that he just made those questions up all by himself, but he was the designated adult. Maybe he had the brains to ask her the tough questions. And maybe he had a point. Before she could gather her thoughts and tell him firmly that she believed Klaus loved her, he was already at the door.

x x x

It was late morning when Blair asked Mrs. Hendrickson to wake everyone for a meeting. She was sitting at the end of the long dining table where Damon had her pinned the night before. She looked disturbingly alive. She found herself a fresh pair of clothes in one of the wardrobes in her room which looked decent enough to put on. A pair of jeans and a maroon blouse. It's been a while since she's dressed so casually since her role as Blair Waldorf the elitist socialite from the Upper East of Manhattan required her to dress extravagantly.

The drapes blocked out the sunlight. She frantically made Mrs. Hendrickson close them all once she walked right across one of the ceiling high windows forgetting about her ring being with Damon. She had a cup of tea set in front of her and a wicked smile on her face as she watched the chairs fill up one by one with sleepy humans and non-humans. Damon sat opposite her on the other end of the table, proudly giving himself the role of distraction while Elena sat on his right, followed by Caroline. And on the other side of the table to her left were Katherine and Alaric.

"So, have you finally made your choice?" Katherine asked.

"Listen, if you want me on your team—the winning team if I get this done my way—then you'll have to not argue with anything and just follow through with my demands." She took a sip of her tea and then set it down on the saucer gently, relishing the goodness of everyone waiting on her.

"If you're going to start bossing us around then I would have to strap you back onto that chair—" Katherine started.

"I would shut up if I were you," Blair snapped at her, and then regained her composure.

"What kind of demands?" Caroline asked. It was the first time Caroline has ever talked to her directly; her eyes weren't even looking straight into hers. One would say the Barbie vamp was afraid which worked out perfectly. She wanted them to be afraid.

"First, I would want my ring back." She looked right into Damon's eyes as if she had a clear view of his soul. He deadpanned. "For all of this to work, I'm going to have to go outside eventually so might as well start now."

"What else?" Alaric asked next.

"Second, I'll only need a handful of soldiers for this war. A human, a vampire, a doppelganger, and a werewolf. And a witch, which is already a taken spot for Serena so there's no need to get your little country witch into this."

She heard the front door open and close, which made her smile grow even wider. They didn't notice though. They were all already objecting and presenting themselves.

"I volunteer as the vampire," Caroline said, trying so hard not to put her hand up.

"No, _blondie_," Damon protested.

"I guess it's going to be me, then, the human _and_ the doppelganger," Elena sighed.

And that's when her attention went back to the group clamoring in front of her.

"No, doppelganger number two," she sneered. "You're too much of a human to be either. I'm only going to need Katherine, Ric, and Damon."

_Ric_. Damon wanted to scoff. Ric was a term of endearment that was used by Ric's friends _and only_ Ric's friends. As far as Damon was concerned, she wasn't allowed to make friends with _anyone._ Caroline's voice and complaining gave him an opening to roll his eyes.

"What? I want to be in on it!" Caroline said.

"No."

"If Tyler's going to be in on it then I want to be too."

"Who's Tyler? I am in no need of any Tylers for this."

"Then who's the wolf?" Katherine asked.

"Me," a curly haired boy entered the room with Serena. Damon found him vaguely familiar. He had a mop for hair and brown eyes. He tried to hide the overwhelming fact that he was in a room full of vampires but Damon saw right through him.

Blair clapped her hands together once in approval. Everyone looked confused while Damon only stared at Blair's very Blair-like nature. She had everything planned already and it was just ten thirty in the morning.

"I can't believe I'm saying this but I'm glad you're on board, Humphrey." Blair grinned. "I'm sure Serena has already briefed you about your role in my grand scheme."

"Yeah. I'm a distraction, someone named Katherine's a decoy, and you're bait." Dan announced.

Damon remembered his name now and why he and his annoying Brooklyn aura was so familiar. Dan. The guy in the elevator he couldn't compel. He looked clueless and intellectual at the same time. _Werewolves._

"What bait?" Damon said, irritation in his voice.

"I think Brooklyn here summed it up perfectly. He distracts Klaus with his existence, being the werewolf that he is. Since there is a scarcity of werewolves, Klaus'll take his time with trying to find a way to turn him into a hybrid, that's where Katherine comes in. She'll pose as Elena—"

"What?" Elena interjected, but Blair just put her hand up, gesturing her to shut up without even looking at her, continuing her explanation.

"—who presents herself as alive while I am kidnapped by the big bad vampire and his trusty vampire hunter friend."

She smiled after her speech, happy with herself. It wasn't a fool-proof plan, which was what she needed because Klaus would expect a fool-proof plan.

"That's stupid," Damon whined.

"What is, Damon? Because from what I've observed, it's been months and none of you is yet to propose a more decent plan."

"When Klaus realizes Katherine's not Elena he'll kill her."

"That won't happen."

"Oh really? And how are you so sure?"

"That's where Serena comes in. She casts a spell on us, announcing to Klaus that if he killed Katherine, I die with her. Bait." She had just thought about it as he asked the question but sounded better than she'd hoped.

It was Serena's turn to complain. "What? Blair! No. I'm not doing that."

"Then I'll get their witch to do it. I trust she'd want me and Katherine dead anyway."

"Where are you getting this information?" Damon said.

"What information? The thing where Elena had to die in order to break to hybrid curse or that your witch would want every vampire dead by the end of this war?" she challenged. "I had tea time with Mrs. Hendrickson. She's quite the talker once you've had her going about the architecture of her home. Her husband created it, you know."

They all stared at her, dumbfounded. No one even knew anything about Mrs. Hendrickson except that her children never called except on Holidays and that her dog had just died yet Blair seemed to have acquired a new best friend. They've never met someone like her before. She had what some might call spunk.

"How would you know Klaus wouldn't kill me if it kills you too?" Katherine asked to break the silence.

"That's easy. He'd do anything for me even if it meant leaving his curse alone. Unlike the rest of us, Klaus' weakness isn't love alone. It's his rage. It's his fear of not being loved properly. Like I've told you people so many times before. You don't know Niklaus like I do." Her eyes landed on Damon's, which were furious under heavy lashes.

"So how do we kill him?" Alaric asked.

Blair smiled. It was not a grin or a smirk, but a smile that meant she was happy and not boasting in pride. She took one last sip of her tea and said, "We don't."

* * *

><p><strong>NA:** Hello there :) I wasn't really planning on updating so soon but right after I posted the last chapter plot bunnies started popping out of nowhere! I really like this chapter with its Alaricness and Dan and everyone else. Forgive me if there are typos and stuff that are confusing. I didn't bother proofread it because I was excited xD Anyhow, Happy Holidays everybody! I hope you all get what you want for Christmas. XOXO.


	10. Everything I Do Is For You

**Chapter 10: Everything I Do Is For You**

"I really hope you have good news for me, Stefan, because I'm running out of patience." Klaus watched from his armchair as Rebekah marched in the room, her irritation radiating from her. Stefan followed slowly after. Still no sign of his Blair, Klaus thought.

"We can't find Blair anywhere." Rebekah sighed and plopped onto the couch with her leg tucked underneath her. Stefan stood in a fair distance from her and Klaus. He looked troubled.

There was an uncomfortable silence peppered with tension as Stefan tried to gather his thoughts. What was he to do with the information he received? If Katherine gave him information, she expects him to relay it to Klaus. In other words: she wanted to be found. And if that helped the other team, shouldn't he tell?

"Blair's in Brooklyn." He announced finally, not being able to hold onto it much longer.

"What?" Rebekah gasped. Klaus stayed demure on his seat, taking one long sip of his drink before speaking.

"Where did you get this information?" He asked his ripper.

"Katherine. She appeared at the van der Woodsen penthouse."

"Why wasn't I informed of this earlier?" Rebekah demanded.

"Very well," Klaus placed his glass on the table next to him and stood. He was delighted, Stefan sensed. They were going to make a trade and he was going to be free. "We shall head to Brooklyn tomorrow."

"You're coming with us?" his sister asked, amused. Klaus never handled barter well. "So you're trading?"

"Of course not, sister. I'm simply coming to collect."

x x x

Katherine was stunned by Blair's grand scheme and lack thereof. Not only did she find multiple loopholes, but it was ridiculous too. The whole lot of it. Did she just suggest to spare Klaus' life?

"That's stupid," she said, "What do you mean we don't? The only way to be free of Klaus is to get rid of him. For good!"

"No. The only way to be free is to play dead and to stay far away from him as possible." Blair argued, rising from her seat.

"I just can't have that." Katherine followed suit and rose from her chair, pounding a fist on the table.

"It's all you have! Aside from this pathetic kidnap for ransom ordeal, which is failing as we speak, you have formulated no concrete plans."

"The plan is simple. Get Stefan back. Kill Klaus."

"But my dear Katherine, those are not plans but goals. In order to achieve said goals, you must first devise a plan. And, like I said, you have _nothing_."

"So you're basically saying that if I die tomorrow, or if Damon dies or Ric or Dan or Serena, it would be for nothing since Klaus won't get to die with us? _Like _I_ said, _I can't have that."

"Don't be silly, Katherine. Nobody's going to die tomorrow. You still need for Klaus to find me and from the looks of it; he's not buying into your sophomoric so-called plan."

"I wouldn't underestimate the powers of an all powerful wolf-vamp." Damon said. Blair almost forgot anyone else was in the room. Katherine was grating her nerves.

"In order to defeat the enemy, you must be like the enemy. You must know the ins and outs of his mind and his heart. Dissect him thoroughly. Know him. Be like him. What do you people know about Niklaus that I don't?"

"I know that he killed his brother," Damon said, challenging her.

"Elijah? Once I get the dagger out of his chest he'll be on my side, you'll see."

"No, Blair. Your precious Klaus ripped his brother's heart out of his chest and threw it on the floor to die." Damon stunned Blair into silence. He was sure she was shaking in embarrassment and anger.

"He wouldn't do that to Elijah," her voice was suddenly almost inaudible. She looked down at Ric, who stared at her, confirming truth.

"Well he did. I was there. I saw it myself." Katherine's voice was the last straw. She needed to get out of that room. She needed to get out of that house. She needed to get out. Period. If there was anything more important than her to Klaus it would be his family.

"How are you so sure now, oh all knowing Blair, that this monster you're defending still has a piece of humanity left in him when he's killed the only person linked to said humanity?" Damon _just_ wouldn't stop. He _just_ needed to unnerve her.

Blood rushed through her veins in irritation with this blue eyed being across from her. She had to will herself to calm down to prevent herself from showing her frustrations on her face. She took one last glance of everyone in the room. Only three people stood out: Damon who showed not one bit of sympathy for her loss, Katherine who backed him up with a stern face, and Dan who looked confused and worried at the same time. Everyone else just stared at her blankly, doubting her, judging her, hating her.

"Meeting adjourned."

All Damon had to do was blink and she was gone. He just wished that every mundane emotion he had involving her left the room with her, but it didn't. It stayed. It has stayed with him for the last hundred and fifty years.

x x x

Alaric sent Serena and Dan to see Blair and led everyone down to the basement where nobody heard them. Once they were secured, Elena was the first to present the problem Damon has caused.

"You lied to her!" She said, arms crossed. "Both of you. Do you know what she'll do if she finds out you did?"

"Relax, _Elena_," Damon rolled her eyes. "Once we kill Klaus we'll deal with her."

"I don't know about this, Damon. Hell—"

"Hath no fury like a betrayed lycan-dracula bride," Damon raised his glass to Ric. "But if you want to you can tell your new _bee-eff-eff_ about our little tryst."

"Why do you need to lie to her?" Caroline asked. "She's scary, Damon. Scarier than you."

"Because we need her to kill Klaus, sweet Caroline."

"The more we anger her, the more we show her how inhumanely monstrous Klaus is, the more she'll help us. Another soft side." Katherine said.

"I'm just not sure if this is right—", Elena said.

"Of course it's not right, Elena. And we shouldn't cling to things that are right either. Do you think Klaus thinks of what's right before he does something? No. He just does it without hesitation, no holds barred. It's like what Blair said. In order to defeat the enemy, one must be like the enemy." Katherine's eyes were fierce, passionate, and intense. It frightened her doppelganger.

"One must be the _better_ enemy," Damon added.

x x x

_We need her to be vulnerable and torn. That's the best way to get her on our side. _His own words echoed in his head like a song he hated but could never forget. It was a plan. He needed to get his brother back and only Blair was capable of helping them. He's never met anyone as close to Klaus as Blair was. And just telling himself that made him furious.

When Serena suggested that a night out at her grandmother's gala was what's best for Blair, he let her take down the caging spell. If they expected for Blair to trust them then they should show that they trust her. It was a masque. _Of course_. And he was going with Katherine just in case anything happened.

Serena had arrived two hours before eight o'clock, their set time. They were to return to the townhouse before midnight and the caging spell was to be put back up. Those were Katherine's rules which Blair only nodded to. She hasn't said a word to either of them since they broke the fake news of Elijah dying, which made Damon wonder what kind of relationship he had with the older original.

The masque was held at a hotel. Damon didn't bother to ask where. It didn't really matter. All that mattered was getting his brother. That was the number one priority. And if it meant babysitting _Miss Blair_ then so be it.

Cece Rhodes seemed to be the queen of glitter and glamour. The setting was dimly lit. The tables were pushed to the side to provide space in the middle for dancing. Except for a few smiles to people Blair knew, she mingled with no one. She never left Serena's side, even when it looked like Serena and Dan wanted privacy. She didn't want to be alone with Damon. God knows what she could do if they let them be.

"So when is the guest of honor arriving?" Katherine asked Serena.

"She's already here. Just lay low. She doesn't like… _people_ much."

"You mean she's worse than your mother?" Damon snorted.

"Definitely." The blonde's smile was beaming, and beside Blair she was a ray of golden sunshine. Serena tried offering her brighter things to wear but she preferred black. And the only color she had on herself was her bright red lips.

Dan whispered something in Serena's ear. Something about a dance and up they went, leaving the three of them on the table. Katherine's eyes scanned the room and approved of its ambiance being the way it was—dark. She excused herself from the table after telling Damon Blair wasn't going to run away without her ring.

Blair sighed and stared at the sea of people in the dance floor. She wanted to dance. She _loved_ to dance. She always had. It was one of her pleasures. She might even know all of the dances on the book. She was startled when a hand reached out for her. It was Damon. She huffed and looked away from him but he took her hand anyway and led her in the middle of the room.

She didn't move at first. Neither did he. Her eyes were restless, trying to find a spot somewhere, anywhere but his eyes. When the music slowed, he took her hand in his and wrapped an arm around his waist. He pressed his cheek on hers and whispered.

"Nobody knows us here," his breath was warm against her cold skin. She didn't even realize they were moving until he knocked every other thought she was thinking out of her mind. She hesitated but then rested her hand on his arm and relaxed herself. He was right. They were in masks. In a few decades these people would be dead. They were strangers there.

"I hate you, you know that right?" She whispered back.

"I know." He sighed.

There was a silence. Everything felt so familiar to Blair—his arm around her waist, her hand in his, her cheek against his cheek—she felt nostalgic. As she let herself rest her head on his chest, she felt him sigh.

"I would really appreciate it if you gave my necklace back," she said.

Damon was surprised. He wasn't expecting that. He expected everything else but that.

"It's with Elena,"

"Which is why I want it back." She sounded calm. And calm-angry Blair was worse than raging-angry Blair.

"Are you jealous?" he smirked. She pulled back from him just to confirm it.

"Why on earth would I be jealous, of all people that _Elena person_, Damon?"

He smiled at her. If she wasn't so jealous and frustrated she would have melted into a puddle on his feet. He was charming. She should have known dancing with him was a huge mistake. She didn't want to fall into his trap again. She didn't want to feel anything at all.

His face suddenly changed expression. He was suddenly serious. She wanted to escape right at that very moment.

"Did you miss me?" He asked, desperate. He just needed to play his voice in his head again: _We need her to be vulnerable and torn. That's the best way to get her on our side._ But it was more than that. He just hoped Katherine didn't think so as she watched from afar.

On the other side of the sea at the bar was Katherine, taking a sip of her martini. She watched at Damon and Blair intently, not knowing if she was irritated with him dancing with her or with her dancing with him. Either way, she hated it. And it showed as she drank her second glass in one go.

"Jealous?" A voice said to her from her side. A blonde with a red mask on was smirking at her, nursing a martini as well.

"Excuse me?" She cocked an eyebrow.

"I would be if I were you. First loves never die, they say. I suppose _they've_ taken it to another level." Her voice sounded familiar.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"Tut tut _Katerina_. I'd also be careful if I were you. You never know who's lurking around prey, just waiting to take the kill."

Katherine's eyes looked back to Damon and Blair. They were whispering to each other about something. She couldn't hear it. The music was too loud. And when she looked back to the blonde next to her, she was replaced by an old man who just ordered a scotch.

_You never know who's lurking around prey, just waiting to take the kill._

Klaus. Klaus was there. He was going to take their only leverage. She sped towards Damon and Blair, panicked, not caring if some people fell on her way to them. She gripped on Blair's arm and dragged them out of the ballroom to the parking lot and to the limousine that waited for them.

"What's going on, Katherine?" Damon asked as he slammed the door shut.

"Klaus is here." He announced, panting. Her eyes shifted between Damon and Blair, who still looked dazed.

"How did you know?"

"Rebekah was here."

Blair's eyes widened. Rebekah was there? That only meant she saw her and Damon together. _Damon._ Rebekah has seen Damon before, when he was human. What if she had told Katherine about them? She panicked. She could only do so much. She stayed silent during their drive back to Brooklyn, wedged in between the two chaperones she had.

Nobody had to know. Not Katherine. And definitely not Niklaus. Or else they'll kill him. _Her_ Damon.

* * *

><p><strong>NA:** I apologize for the delay. This should have been finished by New Year because, well, I promised myself I'd have it done by New Year but my mind just stopped functioning xD But ta-da! I like this chapter actually. And I hope you guys like it too. XOXO.

ps; HAPPY NEW YEAR! 3 :)


	11. A Fiery Throng Of Muted Angels

**Chapter 11: A Fiery Throng of Muted Angels**

As soon as they were inside the house, Katherine woke everyone who was asleep and assembled them in the library. Damon and Blair only stood by as she turned the whole house upside down within five minutes of running around. Damon's never seen Katherine so panicked—so afraid. He chose not to pick on her in the middle of her panic attack. Instead, he stayed close to the subject at hand: Blair Waldorf.

She stood idly by his side, slouched, with her arms wrapped around herself. She still had her mask on, but it was obvious to her that she too was worried. Who wasn't, really? It was Klaus. He was there. He saw them together. He wanted to punch the guy in the face just for breathing the same air as him. Blair also felt cold. After their conversation, she's been distant.

"Klaus is here," Katherine announced. Caroline wasn't even in the room yet and Ric still had his eyes closed. But she didn't care. She knew the mere tone of her voice as she spoke his name would wake everyone up.

"What do you mean Klaus is here?" Elena asked, suddenly panicked.

"I mean he's here. In Manhattan. Around. Lurking." She paced back and forth in front of them.

"So what do we do now?" Ric asked, his question directed to Blair, who was still zoned out somewhere in the far corners of her mind. It was like the living light was knocked out of her. She looked empty, even.

They all stared at the masked brunette who remained statue-like, her eyes shifting from one point of the nothingness in front of her to another. Katherine kept pacing back and forth at the other side of the room and Damon was so tempted to poke her back into his world.

"Well? What the hell are we going to do now, great queen of plans?" Katherine snapped after seconds of waiting. Blair jumped a bit, startled. She composed herself—took her mask off, stood straight, and wiped every emotion off of her face.

"We trade."

A sea of _whats_ and _whys _and groans and rolled eyes was thrown at her. She prepared herself for their reaction, but she wasn't prepared to see Damon staring at her with something in his eyes she's never seen before. Anger? No. Pity? No. _Hurt._ She wanted to stomp out of the room and walk out, but there were already too much walk outs that day.

"What the hell, Blair? You devised a plan! We were all aboard." Alaric exclaimed, standing from the sofa. He was definitely alive now.

"No. None of you were aboard. I know better. I know you have something up your polyester sleeves!" Her eyes darted for Katherine, who looked just as furious as she was, maybe even more. "We're trading. When he comes I'll trade myself for Stefan and then I'll deal with Klaus."

"Deal with it how, exactly?" Caroline asked.

"That's up to me, Caroline. Meanwhile I suggest for you all to go back to Mystic Falls. You, Elena, and Ric. Katherine and Damon could make the trade. And they'll bring Stefan home to you." She sounded genuinely concerned about them. She was, too, actually. They weren't supposed to be involved with this in the first place.

"No," Damon finally said. "I'm not letting you decide everything that happens, Blair."

"Damon—"

"No!" He yelled at her. "I'm not going to stand idly by as you order people around." He was angry. He was frustrated and angry and hurt. And those are not the ingredients for a pleasant vampire cocktail.

"Then what do you want to have us do, Damon? It's the only way to get Stefan back." Elena said.

"You're not a part of this!" He yelled. He soon realized it was Elena who said it. Elena. Sweet, gentle, human Elena. Also the Elena who tolerated Katherine's torturing techniques. But also the Elena who understood him, or did she really?

Also the Elena who was still his brother's girl.

She looked stunned and afraid. Everyone looked stunned and afraid. Nobody was in their right minds and it was getting obvious that even the strongest could not hold onto their calm façade any longer, and that included him. He was the worst one of all. Nobody could blame him, really. He was potentially in the brink of losing everyone he loved.

A ring from Blair's phone and a knock on the door made everyone jump. There was a pause before the ring and the knock came again. Alaric composed himself and announced that he'll get the door and Blair answered her phone.

"B, is Dan with you? I can't find him anywhere. Where are you?" Serena's voice trembled, panicked.

"No. We're home. I'm sorry we had to leave without saying goodbye. Klaus was there."

"Klaus?—"

Serena's voice was muffled by a commotion by the door. "I'm sorry, Serena. But go home. Lock your doors. I have to go." _For good._

Everyone's come near the door, except for Elena and Caroline. She heard a male voice. And then Ric arguing. She peeped around the corner and saw Stefan, unable to get in, and Damon, his hands balled into fists at his side.

There was another pause before it registered into their systems that it was Stefan standing in front of them. Healthy, well, alive, still compelled to do Klaus' bidding. Her memory of Damon telling her how Elijah died—of how Klaus killed him—resurfaced. It was like she was there when he did it. When he killed her best friend.

"I came to collect Blair Waldorf. If you hand her right over then no one will get hurt." His eyes scanned the three in front of him and then he finally caught sight of her. "Ah, Blair. There you are. Come with me."

She stepped out of the room and into the corridor, her steps precise and slow. She was almost at the door when Damon stepped in front of her. His back was solid, tense. His frustrations radiated from him.

"Tell your boss that she's not going anywhere unless he gives you back," he said calmly.

"Don't be difficult, Damon. Give her up and you _all_ will be spared." His words were cut. Compulsion was obvious. He was directed what to do. How could Klaus do this to people? What did he really want?

"You all will be spared," Damon mocked, rolling his eyes. "I'm not afraid of you."

"How about of me?" A voice behind Stefan said. It was Niklaus. He looked smug and full of himself as always. His looked at Damon and then tilted his head to the side to meet Blair's eyes. "Come on out, my love. We have years of catching up to do."

"You're not taking her," Katherine said. Ever since Rebekah hinted a history between Blair and Damon she's been itching to get answers. If it wasn't for Klaus she would have gotten them by now.

"I say this is an unfair battlefield. You're inside the cocoon of Mrs. Hendrickson's wife and we're all freezing out here. Why don't you step out and we can handle this matter fair and square?"

"Why don't you give my brother back so we can all live our lives peacefully?" Damon rebutted.

"Peacefully? Oh, Damon, you never fail to amuse me. What's a life of peace going to give you? There's no fun in that."

Blair scoffed. She didn't mean to either, but she smiled. Niklaus has always had the knack for the extremes. "Nik," she called out, pushing Damon to the side but not stepping out of the door.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"I want you to let the Salvatore boy go," She looked at Stefan for a moment, who looked at her, distraught and worried.

Klaus shook his head as his expression turned serious, hopeful. He stepped forward and offered his hand to her. "Come on, love. All you have to do is step out and we can go home, wherever you choose your home would be."

Blair hesitated as she watched him. There was something not right about this. He wouldn't expect her to just budge. There was something more to this. Then she remembered Serena's call. How panicked she was.

"What have you done to Dan?"

The wicked smile crept up on his face again and he looked at his side. Out of the SUV stepped out Rebekah, she nodded at Blair and then opened up the car door some more to reveal an unconscious Dan.

"Let him go. He has nothing to do with this."

"You get to choose, my darling. Would it be your friend here? Or Stefan. You only get to choose one. Choose wisely."

"Just give back the boy, Klaus," Katherine demanded.

"You don't get to have a say in this, Katherine. This is Blair's decision on make."

If she chose Dan then he gets to go. He has nothing to do with this anyway. He's just a boy from Brooklyn who just happened to have the wolf gene. But if she chose him to go, Stefan would still be Klaus' prisoner. And Damon would still stick around them just to save his brother. Now that Rebekah knew he was a vampire and that he was alive, she wouldn't be able to help herself from telling her brother about their affair.

If she chose Stefan then she would only have Dan to deal with. Stefan would be free and nobody would be bothering her anymore. She and Klaus could go as far away as possible and they wouldn't be able to chase them. As for Dan, once Klaus finds out that he's of no use to them then he'll let him go. Or she'll try to let him go along the way.

"Is it true?" She asked out of the blue. The only way she was going to settle this was to get all the facts she could get.

"Is what true, Blair?"

"Is it true that you killed Elijah?"

"What—"

"That you ripped his heart out? Is it true, Nik?"

Damon, Katherine, and Alaric shared glances which confirmed her theory.

"Of course not, my love. Elijah's safe and sound in his compartment." He smiled, "now that that's settled, let's go. We have a lot to discuss."

"Excuse me," she said, shutting the front door. She turned to the lot of them.

"You lied to me," she said, frustrated. "You, I would understand," she said to Katherine, "you too," to Damon, "but you? I thought you were better than them."

Alaric stared at her, unable to explain himself. "I was against it."

"Don't go with him, Blair." Damon said.

"You don't have a say in this!" she yelled. "I've chosen, Damon. I apologize but my future doesn't involve you."

She turned to open the door but Damon's hand pulled her back, straight into his chest. He held onto her tightly, his eyes piercing through hers, burning, leaving his last impression, carving himself into her soul.

"Blair if you leave it's going to be over. _Everything_. Don't do this."

"You lied to me," she emphasized. "I can't tolerate that."

"I can't lose you."

"My _journals_ are in the _chest_ in my room. Tell Serena she can have them." She shook herself out of her grip but his fingers just curled around him tighter. "Let me go, Damon. I'll set your brother free. You can be together again."

"But then I'll lose you," He was breaking down. He didn't care if Katherine and Alaric were there to watch him as he tried to hold on to the only thing that's ever loved him. He didn't care if Caroline heard them from the library and was probably telling Elena about their conversation. He could deal with them later. All he wanted was for her to stay more than anything.

"What seems to be the hold up?" They heard Klaus from the other side of the door.

"I'll see you around, Ric." Blair nodded to her friend, knowing she'll never forget him.

"Take care, Blair." He nodded back. "Let go of her, Damon."

"No."

"Let go." Katherine pressed, trying to pry her arms away from Blair.

"No!" He yelled.

"It's over, Damon." Katherine continued saying, suddenly his arms felt weak. And the last thing he saw was Blair's face looking sorry for him. He reached out for it as he fell to the ground. And then there was nothing. Katherine had injected him with vervain.

x x x

He shouldn't have been so vulnerable around her. He shouldn't have let her get into his heart. He should have known better. Nothing good ever stayed with him.* Not his mother, not Katherine, not his brother, not Elena, not Blair—nothing. They all left him alone in their own way. Suddenly he felt like a boy again, sitting on the top step of the stairs of the old Salvatore Estate, listening helplessly as his mother died. Helpess. That was what he was.

When he woke up in his bed the first thought that came to his mind was Blair, her ring that she's left behind, and her journals that she's mentioned. He wasn't stupid. There was something in those journals she wanted him to find. Something valuable. He got up and reached for his phone in his pocket but all that was there was her ring. He closed his fist around it and stuffed it into his pocket.

"You're awake," Stefan said by the door, a blood bag in hand. "Blair chose to trade me."

Damon only stared at him, emptiness in his eyes. He tried to offer the blood bag but he only tapped his shoulder and went out of the room sluggishly. He followed his brother down stairs where everyone was. The first eyes he saw were Elena's. Elena's whose love can never be his. He never thought he'd be unhappy to see her. The sight of her brought back the pain of the conversation he and Blair had the night before as they danced.

"Did you miss me?" He couldn't remember the last time he asked that question seriously. He wanted to know so badly. He wanted to know if he's been on her mind the same way she has always been in his, somewhere, just not spoken. No one knew how much he wanted to tell someone, anyone, even one of his girlfriends that he was feeding on. But he couldn't. Just talking about it reminded him that he was left alone, abandoned.

She stared into his eyes for the longest time before she replied.

"Do you love her?"

"Who?" He tried to smile to lift the forming tension around them. It didn't work.

"Don't do that." She put her hands up against his chest and he pulled her closer so that she was in a loop in his arms. She sighed. "Do you love her?"

"I… I do." As heartbreaking as it was to say, he knew it was even more hurtful for her… if she really cared, that is. She showed no sign of apathy or sadness though. They were whisked away by Katherine, saving her from having to say anything in return.

Katherine. Katherine who was full of questions. Alaric had a glass of scotch in his hands. He stared out of the window blankly at his loss. Somehow he was probably thinking that Jenna's death wouldn't find justice. And then there was Caroline. Sweet, sweet Caroline. She wasn't even supposed to be involved in all of this but now she, too, needed an explanation. They all had to know what was going on.

"I need to go out today. Why don't you book us a flight home?" He said to Caroline. She always loved doing things for other people. He figured she needed human interaction when she called for the tickets too.

"Where are you going?" Caroline asked, her voice so enthusiastic, pretending everything was alright. He needed to remind himself to get pointers from her one day.

"Serena's. I need to tell her about Dan."

"I'm going with you," Stefan said. Damon stared at his brother again and then nodded. He didn't lose everyone, he thought. He still had Stefan. And they were going to get Blair back.

They found a distraught Serena at Blair's penthouse. She was on the floor in the bedroom with a bunch of books around her. Blair's journals. He's called ahead to ask for them, with the bribe of him helping her to find Dan. It worked, of course. She would do anything for the person she loved.

"Did you find anything useful?" Damon asked as he crouched down beside her.

"Nothing yet. I'm still around the 1500's. That's when the journal start." She looked up and saw Stefan by the door, unsure of whether he should go further inside or not. Unsure of anything really.

"Are you Stefan?" Serena asked, annoyance laced in her voice. "I would stand but I'm too busy trying to save my best friend and my boy—um—_friend_."

"I understand your frustration and I'm really sorry about Dan. I'll be helping though."

Damon let the two blondes talk about their inner frustrations as his eyes scanned across numerous centuries. He was just trying to find one though. The one he's been dying to read. The books wore leather jackets with handwritten years written in front of them. 1854… 1859… 1862… 1863.

He snatched it from the ground and plopped on the well made bed to scan each page delicately. January, February, March. A blur. April to August. Full of parties. September was the start of her year in Harvard. She wrote down how she had to compel everyone she met to forget her once she left Cambridge. He imagined going through all that trouble just to be forgotten while some people try so hard to be remembered.

Every word was written in a fine script. It wasn't not messy at times which made it hard for him to read some words, but some were written so perfectly that one would say it was a font type in a computer. But of course, it wasn't since it was written before typewriters were barely accessible.

_December 11, 1863_

_I have nothing to talk about today. I went dress shopping and attended the winter gala._

He wanted to rip the page out of the book and set it on fire. December 11th was the day they met. She didn't even mention him. Not once. He flipped through the next pages and nothing was said about him. No mention of any man at all.

"Is there something wrong?" Stefan asked.

"Something is indeed very wrong, Stefan," he looked at his brother who stood by the door. Serena's eyes raked over the vampire every now and then just to check if he was still there. And he was. He never moved. He just stood there as if he was afraid she would hurt him. God knew it was taking a lot in her to not try something, anything, on him to at least let out some steam.

Serena knew that it was unfair. It wasn't Stefan's fault that Blair chose to let him go. She probably had a reason why she did so also, whatever reason that may be.

"What's wrong?" Serena asked Damon, distracting herself.

"I'm not written in these pages."

Serena and Stefan shared a look of confusion and doubt. He knew he was going to have to explain himself and how he acted the night before to everyone. He figured why not start with the two people he trusted would help him save _her_?

x x x

Blair sat in the passenger's seat of the SUV while Klaus drove to wherever destination he was headed to, with the truck of coffins following close behind them. She didn't bother to ask where they were going. She wasn't in the best mood to talk. She hasn't talked since they left Brooklyn. Dan was still unconscious beside Rebekah. She has been giving Blair looks that suggested she wanted to talk when they escape Klaus. She had a feeling she wanted to talk about her holiday bed warmer.

"Who else was with Katherine, my love?" Klaus asked, his eyes shifting from the road to Blair.

"Who else? There was Damon, as you saw, and Alaric." She tried to hide to panic in her voice.

"Who else, Blair? Come on. I know someone else was there."

She didn't say anything more and Klaus halted into a stop. He looked deep into her eyes, frustrated.

"Who else, Blair?" he pressed.

"Caroline Forbes."

"And?"

"Nik, don't do this." Rebekah said, knowing what was going to happen next. He had promised her before that he would never compel any of them—Rebekah, Elijah, Blair.

"Don't make me do this Blair. Who else was there with you when you were held captive?"

She hesitated. She tried so hard to resist him but she figured telling the truth would be better than being compelled by him, because she knew deep down inside that if he did compel her that she would lose all hope that his humanity was still intact.

"Elena Gilbert." She breathed out. "Elena Gilbert was there."

Klaus smiled and reached over to her side of the car and pressed his lips on hers softly. She felt like a seventeen year old girl again—real one—in love with a man who was her knight in shining armor, her king. She would have melted into a puddle if it wasn't for the danger the kiss promised her. He started the car again and continued driving, a smile plastered on his face.

"Where are we going, Nik?" Rebekah asked.

"We're going home… to Mystic Falls."

* * *

><p><strong>NA:** And that concludes the first part of our little fic. (Yes, I've_ just_ decided to split it into three parts because, well, each part has its little thing. Anyhow.) I call this first part: People Help The People. Yes. From the song. You should listen to it :) Also, this is my longest chapter to date. Word-wise. Up next: Bonnie. I'm excited for her. I'm growing some kind of attachment to Bonnie. Idk why. And a lot more Klair for you all. Because I like splurging. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I hope you stay tuned! XOXO.


	12. I'm Always In This Twilight

**Chapter 12: I'm Always In This Twilight**_  
>in the shadow of your heart<em>

Blair never thought she'd set foot in Mystic Falls. For one, the town was called Mystic Falls. And two, she's already painted a picture of it in her head when Damon described it to her once. And the fact that its too close to anything related to Damon scared her. In the recess of her mind she could hear his voice way back from 1863 telling her about his home.

"Tell me about Mystic Falls," she said as they strolled down the path that led from the town square back to her townhouse. Her gloved fingers were entangled in his as they walked closely together. Damon had just fetched Blair from her last day of school for her Christmas Holiday. Both of them were quite excited. Especially her.

"Why should I? I am sure you have seen better. There's nothing spectacular about it." He brought her hand up and placed a light kiss on her knuckles.

"But it's your home. It's where you came from. I want to know about it." Damon stared at the distance, recalling the best memories he had of Mystic Falls. It took him a few moments to finally start describing it.

"There are more trees there, definitely. Anyone could get lost in the thick, lush wood. Our estate is seated somewhere in the middle of it actually. It makes visitors excited when they do drop by to see my father." He paused. "I am not good at describing how truly wonderful it is because the things that make it wonderful are usually connected to an occasion or an emotion. I hope to bring you there one day."

Blair smiled up at him. "Maybe we should visit for Christmas."

"Oh no," he chuckled. "You would not want to spend Christmas at the Salvatore household. No. First of all my father doesn't even know I quit the service. And second, it would be boring there."

"We could make it less boring by locking ourselves in your quarters." She smirked. He stopped dead in his tracks, as if he was stuck on the ground he had stepped on, and he pulled her closer to him. His arms wrapped around her waist and placed a soft kiss on her cold lips, giving it warmth.

Involuntarily, she reached her hand up to her lips as she remembered the feeling of being kissed by him and how different his kisses were from Niklaus. She took a deep breath and shook her head. She could not believe that she was comparing them. She shouldn't. She didn't have to. She also didn't have a choice. She was never going to have those kisses again.

She had Rebekah's ring on for the time being. She needed her own and Nik said there was only one witch in town who can help. She was dropped off in front of a grill with only a description of the witch given to her. Surely she wasn't going to be that hard to find. Usually she could sense witches. It was an uncanny ability.

As soon as she stepped into the bar, everyone's heads turned to her. She hated small towns. Here everyone knew everyone and it added suspicion, like all the weight was on her shoulders and she needed to explain where she came from. Always. She loved New York and cities like it—big, anonymous, full of chains of blurs and blackouts. The perfect setting for a five hundred year old vampire.

It didn't take her more than a minute to spot Bonnie. She was by the pool table with a boy and she seemed to be the only one oblivious of her presence. They seemed to be enjoying themselves and she didn't want to interrupt them but she had to. If she took too long Klaus would blow the cover she was going to pull so she marched up to the pair, a smile on her face.

"Hi, you must be Bonnie Bennett." Blair chirped, leaning against the pool table.

"That's me," she said, questioning. The tall boy by her side stood in a protective stance. So he was her boyfriend then. A boyfriend who knew something, it seemed.

"My name is Blair Waldorf," she offered a handshake, knowing it would trigger some kind of jolt to the witch. Bonnie accepted the handshake and paused for a moment to stare at her.

"What do you need from me?" She asked sternly.

"I'm a friend of Damon's. They've got Stefan back, you know." She smiled, mostly to herself for the fact that Stefan was free.

"I know." Bonnie said, "They're on their way home."

"Probably be here tomorrow or tonight or something." The boy beside Bonnie said. "I'm Jeremy Gilbert."

Blair narrowed her eyes at the boy. Gilbert. It made her cringe on the inside just because he was somehow related to Elena. Elena who Damon loved. She closed her eyes momentarily and then batted her eyelashes at the couple.

"You're Elena's brother?" She was curious now, of these people, of this town. She's never been to a place where the supernatural dominate the population. Well, the important population, that is.

"Yeah. You know Elena?"

She was about to tell him how she met Elena when Bonnie interrupted her. "What do you need from me?"

She sighed. "I need a ring. Would you make one for me? I'm out of witches and I was wondering if you'd help me."

"What's wrong with the ring you have now?" The witch retorted. Why were they _always_ like this? Stubborn and judgmental, especially when it came to her, she felt.

"It's a friend's. I only borrowed it for the time being—"

"Which friend?" She interrupted. If there was something Blair hated more than lying it was interrupting her when she talked.

"You'll meet her soon enough. I'm staying at the Salvatores. If you're up for it then I'd be forever indebted to you."

"Do you promise that?" Bonnie asked.

"You have my word." Blair smiled. "I'll meet you after lunch then?"

Bonnie just nodded; her lips still formed a straight line on her face. Blair took it. Witches were just like that. When she stepped out into the sun, her eyes squinted. There were no tall buildings here to hide her in their shadows. It was all open. With trees everywhere and short buildings that looked old and decayed. It was totally different from New York, but nonetheless it was charming.

She had no idea where Niklaus was but she had a feeling he wouldn't be too far away. She had no idea where the Salvatores lived. When she saw a woman in uniform she took her chance to ask where the Salvatores' house was. It was a small town. Chances were she knew where everyone lived.

"Hello, ma'am," she said as she approached the short blonde. "I'm visiting friends but silly me got lost and the directions they gave were horrible. I was wonder if you'd help me."

"Oh that's alright, dear. I know where everyone lives around Mystic Falls." Blair smiled at herself. "I'm Sherriff Forbes. Who are your friends?"

Forbes. Caroline's aunt maybe? Or mother? Either way she was stunned by her. She was so different from her daughter.

"The Salvatores. Damon and Stefan." She smiled. The woman's expression turned serious at their mention of the brothers. She knew something.

"Maybe I should drive you. It's hard to get there on foot. It's near Wickery Bridge."

"Oh that's alright."

"No, I insist. Damon's a friend of mine."

"Oh he is? I'm sure he's not giving you a lot of trouble."

"Not at all. He's helped this town more than you could ever know."

Blair mused at this fact. Damon had friends. Damon helped this town. Damon's house was somewhere in the woods. Just as he described it to be. She nodded at Sherriff Forbes and decided that she was going to be helpful in case she got into any trouble in town, which she doubted. She sat in the front seat silently as she watched the trees go by. Each leaf was a different color. It was beautiful.

They pulled up in front of a large house that was anything but what Damon had described it to be. This must be some kind of joke. For one, Damon described it to have white exteriors. This had wooden finishes, which despite the classic, rugged, country elegance it had, was still far from the description she had in her head.

"This is it. The Salvatore Boarding House." Sherriff said. Blair got out of her patrol car and smiled at the woman.

"Thank you so much, Sherriff Forbes."

Liz rolled up her window and grabbed her phone right away after she was far enough from the vampire's hearing. She dialed Damon's number furiously and it rang one time before he answered it.

"Caroline's alive, Liz. She'll be home tonight. I promise. With all of her limbs and golden strands intact—" he started explaining but Liz had something else in mind.

"You have a friend here at your house. If she does anything to hurt anyone in this town, Damon, I'll have to bring her down."

"She's there?" Damon's easy going tone suddenly changed into something Liz has never heard before.

"Yes, whoever she is. What should I do?"

"Her name is Blair. Don't touch her. She won't do you harm."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Liz. I'm sure. If she does something stupid then I give you permission to vervain her. But for now… let her be. We'll be home by tonight. The latest would be tomorrow morning."

"Alright. But I'm keeping an eye on her 'til you get here."

"I'd appreciate it, Liz. Thanks."

Damon waited for Liz to hang up first. It gave him time to breathe. Blair was in Mystic Falls, in his house. She was alright. And she was… without Klaus? Where was he? And where was Dan? He closed his eyes for a brief moment before turning back to the crowd in the center of the room.

Lilian Rhodes-Humphrey was not the easiest witch to sway. Which witch was, really? They were all stubborn and judgey. And Lily, in addition to her being a witch, was also a mother to her daughter Serena. And as a mother, of course it was hard for her when her child got into trouble. It was also hard for her when her daughter proposed that she'd live in a small humid town called Mystic Falls for the semester just to save her friends. Yes. It took the whole team's joint effort to sway Lily to let Serena go.

She was to stay with Elena. If anyone bothered to ask where she was from they would say she was Ric's niece from New York. If anyone bothered to ask why Ric never mentioned any family they would just have Caroline compel them to go away and mind their own mundane business. She had a deadline though. By the end of the semester is to return home, even if she was still Dan or Blair-less. It was the only way Lily could let her go. Education was important.

Of course.

"That was Liz," Damon said, "Blair's in Mystic Falls. My guess is Dan's there too—" he was interrupted by his phone ringing again. This time it was Bonnie.

"Hello, witchy." He greeted. Lily's eyes then narrowed down on him and he dodged her judgment with a smile. _Witches._

"Damon, there's a girl here who says she's your friend. Her name's Blair. She wants me to make her a ring. She's at your house."

"Slow down, Bonnie. Breathe." He said, amused by the fact that Blair was telling people they were friends. He wanted to huff.

"What am I going to do?" The witch on the other side of the line said, panicked.

"Make her the ring."

"What?" she said in disbelief, "Damon. I don't trust her. Just you being friends with her irks me."

"Everything irks you. Make her the ring. It's my fault she doesn't have hers."

"I should have known this would all be spiraling down on you," she paused. "Wait. She said the ring she had on her now was her friend's. Who's the friend, Damon?"

"I'll tell you when we get there."

"Who is it?" Bonnie demanded.

"Bye bye now," he smirked. So Klaus_ was_ there. Of course. But if Bonnie didn't sense Klaus from her then that might be a good sign, right? Unless Blair had the ability to trick witches into sensing different things from her.

x x x

She opened the unlocked front door and cautiously stepped inside the spacious house. Sherriff Forbes called it a boarding house. She'd call it a creepy old house—with armory hung on walls and beautiful Persian carpets. She dragged her fingers on the surface of the hardwood furnishings. Everything was dusty and old. The fire place was glorious and, on impulse, she lit it. The house seemed too chilly.

After a few minutes of lounging in the library, she went up the stairs, into the chambers. A few of the ones she entered seemed like they haven't been slept in for ages. They probably haven't too. She found a room filled with books, slightly used sheets, untouched clothes. She guessed it to be Stefan's. On a table lied a photograph of Katherine from 1864. She was beautiful, but then she remembered she was the one who took Damon's safety away from him and immediately felt angered.

She was starting to get bored at looking into empty rooms when she found one with a flat screen television mounted across a bed fit for a king. It was full of candles, the room. The bed was neatly made, in a way that she felt was familiar to her. It was Damon's room. The thought of it excited her to the point where she was caught off guard with her own reflection smiling back at her from the mirror.

She sat on the edge of the bed, in the middle-bottom corner where she always sat on beds. It was only then that she realized she was tired, physically. She hasn't had a good meal in a week. Everything was either laced with vervain or monitored.

A knock on the door sent her running down the stairs. When she opened it, Bonnie stood before her, a grimoire clutched against her arms. She wore a look that witches wore so well. It was obvious she was somehow pushed to do this. She had no choice. A promise from a vampire was something precious to witches.

"I thought you'd never come," Blair smiled at her, opening the door wider for her to get in. "I really appreciate this Bonnie."

"Don't thank me yet," the witch marched into the library where Blair had already set up a fire. Bonnie sat on the couch and set the grimoire by her side. She had the lapis lazuli ring placed on the coffee table. Blair watched as Bonnie whispered many Latin words that barely made sense to her to the ring. After a few moments, she opened her eyes and handed Blair the ring.

"Try it."

Blair went to the darkest corner of the room, away from the sunlight, and removed Rebekah's ring slowly. And then, like an excited little girl, she slipped on the newly forged ring in her ring finger. She walked slowly to the window, feeling for the burn of the sun, but as usual, she felt nothing but warmth. It worked. She smiled at Bonnie.

"Thank you. I owe you. Anything. Just say it."

Bonnie just stared at her and started for the door. Once she was gone, Blair studied the rock embedded in the silver band in her new ring. She remembered hers. It was the exact replica of what her real mother had given her that her aunt stole from her, except the rock was blue instead of the fiery ruby red.

"Oh my sweet Blair, you still haven't changed." An eerily familiar voice said behind her. It made her jump. She turned around slowly, part scared, part ready to charge if ever needed. Her defensive stance faltered when she saw who stood in front of her and her smile was back on her face.

"Still invested in your jewelry, I see." He said again, smiling. His hands were deep into his suit's pockets. The way he just stood there was so surreal, but once it sunk into her mind that she wasn't inside a dream, she skipped over him and wrapped her arms around his torso, and instinctively, he put his arms around her too.

"I've missed you, Elijah."

* * *

><p><strong>NA:** Let us all take a moment to acknowledge the presence of our Elijah. I missed him in the series, didn't you? AND LETS TALK ABOUT KLAROLINE HAPPENING FINALLY! :D Okay. Moment over. This is another one of my filler chapters, I'm afraid. I just wanted to put the things out there already so that we're ready for the next chapter. I'm actually excited for this part of the story and the more moments to come. And I hope you get excited too. XOXO.


	13. The Lovers Are Losing

**Chapter 13: The Lovers Are Losing**

1424

_It wasn't everyday that a gentleman like Elijah would ponder over human feelings and emotions, considering he had long since been called a human. But he took a chance that day, while his brother Niklaus was away, still trying to find the Petrova doppelganger. He, himself, was getting tired of the hunt. They've lived for millennia after millennia and still there was no sign of the key to breaking his brother's curse._

_He leaned against the house's doorway as he watched his sister and his brother's newest collectible on the grass, giggling and waving at the stable boy who was putting away their horses. They liked taunting men, especially Rebekah. Rebekah had no regard over human hearts. They took them and broke them in more than one way. Blair, however, was still trying to adjust to her new life. She had been with them for merely a decade now and she seemed to have adapted to Rebekah's way of living._

_She would join his sister in town to feast on the adoration of mindless men. They were both irresistible so they didn't really need to do anything to amuse their selves. He found it childish and pathetic. Niklaus, however, let them do as they pleased as long as they went home to him, wherever their home might be at that moment._

_Niklaus surprisingly wanted to keep her longer, not that Elijah was protesting. He actually developed a fondness over her. Despite her innocent façade, she was actually quite intelligent for someone who has never had proper education. She's only read five books before they met her and now it seemed like she knew everything there was to know about life. Niklaus would always give her a new book to read. As they travelled, he exposed her to the most glorious of art and music._

_There was so much potential in her, he thought, as Rebekah sat in front of her to let her hair be braided. Soon flowers would decorate the golden tresses and then they would switch and her head would be filled with a crown of reds and oranges. And the two ladies would go into the woods to play with a lost stranger._

_He remembered teaching Blair how to navigate in woods. Always go where there's water, listen for animals, and listen for people. He had taught her most of her survival skills and he's let her delve into his personal thoughts once or twice as a reward for being a good student._

_Once he let slip that sometimes he thought of leaving Nik, their family. Blair only smiled at him and told him that his brother thought highly of him, which he never really got. Niklaus only thought highly of himself. But somehow this little girl thought there was something more to his self-absorbed little brother that meets the eye, that there was something inside all of them that no one, not even them, knew of. And when that realization hit him, everything else crashed down along with it._

_He liked her. He liked her because she was still human. She liked her because she would disagree with Niklaus and he would shut up when she was talking. She liked her power over him, over all of them. It has been a while since they acted like a normal civilized family. And he liked the effect of her on them. And he liked it so much so that he acted so opposite as to what he actually felt to the point where he wouldn't even look at her. And for good reason._

_Niklaus didn't like sharing his toys._

"_It is hard to break away, is it?" He heard a voice beside him. He suddenly felt nervous. He was thinking of his brother's current muse in such a disturbing way that was inappropriate. What's more inappropriate was the fact that he was afraid his brother might have developed a mind-reading skill while he was away._

"_Such beauty could be so captivating." Niklaus added._

"_When are you going to dispose of her, Niklaus? She's slowing us down." Elijah deadpanned, crossing his arms over his chest._

"_I am truly sorry, brother, but my Blair's not going anywhere anytime soon. I've decided I'm keeping her." He smiled and waved when Blair caught sight of Niklaus and she looked delighted, as always. She and Rebekah stood up to walk up to the house._

"_So I suggest you stay away from her because she's mine."_

_Elijah turned his head to the side to see his brother still smiling at Blair as she approached them. Niklaus took a few strides forward to capture her lips in his as he always greeted her when he went away. It made his blood boil. But Niklaus was right. He shouldn't even try to do anything even remotely as to make a romantic advance towards her. He might not say it, but his brother's smitten with the girl. She was not just a toy after all._

To stare at her in present day, in a different light, was so eerie that it bothered him. She looked almost the same since the last time he saw her when they left her to get the Petrova doppelganger, only now she held her head up high and she exuded self-confidence that was overwhelming. She was no longer the poor orphan girl that his brother saved out of pity. She was Blair Waldorf. And as much as it scared him, it felt like she didn't need them anymore.

Who could really blame her? Niklaus dropped her like a forgotten fork in the middle of the height of their relationship. Of course anyone would dishevel from that experience. Only she found a way to come back stronger than before. Again, it was frightening for him.

They settled inside a house too expensive for anybody to buy. It was type of house that felt empty—no ghosts and no humans—lifeless. No family has ever vacated it. No soul has ever owned it. It was brand new. Unlike them: decaying souls in immortally beautiful bodies. He felt her distance even when she greeted him with a tight hug. He felt it when they walked back to the car to a sulking Rebekah who couldn't get out without her ring. He felt it right at that moment as Niklaus wrapped his arm around her shoulder to mark his territory.

"They tortured her, apparently," Rebekah said.

"Ah yes," Niklaus said, "why don't you tell us what about the feeble attempt they made at making you talk?"

"I'm not really in the mood," Blair rolled her eyes.

"Come on, love,"

"I'm sorry, Nik, but I'd rather not talk about the way they shot me up with vervain and stakes right now." She rose from her seat and grabbed her jacket from the table behind Elijah.

"Where are you going? It's a full moon and we have a wolf on the loose." Rebekah tried calling but Nik shushed her.

"I don't care." She called out and slammed the door at them. All she wanted to do was runaway, as fast and as far as she could. There was no way she was going to completely abandon them now since they saved her. But the hard truth was that no matter how much she was crushed with how they all lied to her, she didn't want to be saved. She liked being around Ric and Caroline, and sure, Katherine was bearable too.

And sure, being around Damon wasn't a bad addition too.

But she wasn't going to think of that. All that mattered to her was to escape. She considered taking her ring off but then what? She'll combust into flames helplessly? And then one way or another Klaus would find out about Damon and he'll rip him to shreds. There's always reincarnation, Blair foolishly thought to herself. When she dies she'll be another person in the next life, and so will Damon, and so will everyone else who dies. At least, that was the theory.

As she walked up into the Mystic Bar and Grill she decided she didn't need theories. What she needed was music and dancing and liquor. And it's a good thing some ass was throwing a party to top off the summer before classes started after the weekend.

x x x

"Klaus knows by now that his precious doppelganger is alive and kicking due to the fact that he probably asked Blair or she blurted it out because she hates you for torturing her—"

"Why are you so invested in Blair so much, Damon?" Katherine asked.

"Moving on. We need to kill Klaus."

"Tell us. We need an explanation." Elena said. He wanted to roll his eyes. He still hasn't forgiven her for going along with Katherine's torturing.

He sighed, took a sip of his scotch, and scanned the room. Everyone's eyes were eager. They wanted to know what was going on. And maybe he owed them an explanation.

"We met December 11th 1863," he decided that if they were going on board with his plan to get Blair and Dan back then they at least deserved to know what was up. Or at least, part of it. He wasn't going to give out his soft spot.

They were at the Salvatore's and they all decided that it was the best place for everyone to be at the moment since it was a full moon and no one really wanted to be alone at night with the possibility of Dan Humphrey out there somewhere. Damon figured he had to start explaining somewhere. Serena and Stefan already heard part of the story. And that's the only part he was willing to share with everyone else.

"I just quit the service," he looked at Stefan who confirmed the time line, "and the troops and I were in Cambridge, Massachusetts. We just stopped by for something to eat actually and we were going to head down south. But of course I met Blair."

"And let me guess? She liked you. You got engaged in a very R-rated affair and then you woke up one morning and she was gone." Katherine said. He stared at Katherine for a brief moment, contemplating on what to answer, but then he thought he'd just get on with it.

"Yes. She liked me. So much so that she compelled me to forget about me ever meeting her."

"So she abandoned you?"

"Yes." He simply nodded.

"If she abandoned you then why are you so persistent on getting her back? She wasn't even yours to begin with."

He opened his mouth to say something but a different voice has already spoken for him.

"Because he loved her, of course."

Behind him stood an old gentleman in an old English accent that eerily reminded them of a certain hybrid at hand. He crossed his arms on his chest and leaned against the doorframe. Damon turned, eagerly and when he caught sight of him, he immediately felt like he's seen him somewhere before.

"Who are you?" He demanded. He didn't know if he was more angry with the fact that he was inside his house, or the fact that he just revealed Damon's greatest weakness.

"My name is Mikael."

x x x

The night was a blur, as she remembered most nights were in the different places she's been to in her life. Somehow being the Blair Waldorf of New York City required for her to be the perfect upper class citizen who didn't drink out of tequila bottles while dancing around in a room of stupid adolescents who don't know what they're getting their selves into by chugging down all of that alcohol. It was a good thing she did know how to have some fun every once and a while. And her first bottle's only half empty.

The thought of Dan being out there, alone, on uncharted waters, or in this case woodland, did enter her mind a couple of times. What if he got lost? What if someone finds him in the morning naked in the middle of the street? But she pushed all of those thoughts away by gulping down the rest of the bottle of whatever it was she was holding in her hand that moment.

She was impressed by how the children were passing alcohol around and how the bartended didn't seem to care if everyone was wasted. There was this one kid who was trying to press himself against her, to dance, she guessed, and she felt like ripping his throat out. He followed her all night, trying to talk to her, give her a drink. She only rolled her eyes and left him. But when she tried to touch her again he ended up flying across the floor. Before anyone could look up to see who threw him across the bar, arms gripped around her and carried her outside of the party. She didn't resist. She was in shock of what she did, too.

Once outside she was hauled into the passenger's seat of a car. She still had her latest bottle of Patronin her hand. She groaned to see Elijah getting into the driver's seat.

"I was enjoying a perfectly enjoyable party, Elijah." She took one long gulp of the alcoholic substance and slumped into her seat.

Elijah sighed as he pulled out of the grill and started driving. "Get rid of that." He said. He sounded awfully calm. Too calm. Not good.

"Or what?" Blair challenged. "You're not the boss of me. Stop the car and let me out before I kick the door off."

"You've had too much to drink and with the diet you're on the alcohol _is_ going to affect you, Blair."

"Let me out!" She yelled. Elijah shook his head and kept his eyes on the road. Drunk and overwhelmed by all of the emotions that were surfacing, she tried to pull on the door but the minute it opened, Elijah has already reached to her side of the car and shut the door, locking it from his side.

"This is not the time to be playing games like that, Blair." He said.

"What? You think you can just come back to life and boss me around?" She took another long drink but before it fulfilled her needs it was snatched away from her.

"No more alcohol for you," he rolled down his window and threw the bottle out.

Blair stared at him, frustrated and angered, but hurt mostly. He left her too.

"Now where is this coming from?" He just had to ask the stupidest question she's ever heard in her entire life.

"If I didn't respect you as much as I do your head would be flying down the coastal road by now just for asking me that." She sneered. "You, your family. You can't just come into my life again like nothing happened after leaving me for a doppelganger bitch who just stupidly turned herself into a vampire!"

"Are you done?"

"No! You! You left me. You told me you wouldn't. You didn't even say goodbye. You just left."

"I didn't mean to, Blair, I'm sorr—"

"No, you're not! If you were then you wouldn't have left in the first place!" She continued yelling. Elijah only kept silent as he pulled over at the house's driveway.

"I'm used to being alone now, you know. I don't need any of you!" Her door opened and Klaus carried her out of the car. She knew she should shut up but she couldn't help it. She has lost the ability to control herself.

"And you!" She pointed at him as he carried her into the house and up the stairs. "I loved you and you abandoned me." She was sobbing now.

"Calm down, love," Klaus whispered.

"No. I will not calm down just because you said so. You don't own me!"

Niklaus found it amusing how her words suggested violence yet she had her arm around his shoulder as he carried her to her room.

"I loved you and you left me," she sobbed as she set her down. Elijah and Rebekah were at the door. They've never seen Blair so… destroyed in all of their lives. She was always the collected one. The flawless one. The one who did everything right. They were as shocked, or even more, to see their brother panicking while trying to soothe her. Once he noticed their stares, Klaus ordered them out.

Her head rested on his shoulder and her eyes closed. She was still murmuring her drunken rants but he didn't really want to decipher each word especially when she spoke in mixed languages that were very much alike. Some of it even sounded like Latin.

"I never meant to hurt you, Blair," he started whispering, knowing that Elijah and Rebekah were nearby.

"Right," she scoffed.

"The truth is I was afraid." He took her hand in his and weaved their fingers together. "That's why I had to leave you behind."

"The great Niklaus? Afraid? Of what?" She looked up at him and met his green eyes. She really did miss them. So much so that she despised everyone else she's met with green eyes.

It took him a while to respond for he wasn't sure if revealing himself to her was a smart move. He concluded that if he wanted her to return to him he'd have to give her everything he had. And he did really want her back. He _needed_ her back.

"I was afraid of you, my darling." He offered a smile but she shot him down with a glare. "I was afraid that if I allowed myself to be with you any longer than I already have then the possibility of me losing myself to you-" he had to stop himself for a moment before continuing. "But when I left shortly thereafter I realized it was already too late. I had already fallen for you."

"You have a fancy way of showing it."

"You don't know how much I loathed myself after that. You don't know how many times I've stood in front of your front door, tempted to knock, tempted to go back to you."

"But you didn't, Nik. That's the point. You didn't."

"In New York I did. Please, Blair. I love you," he sighed, "I love you."

Her heart broke as he said it. She's never heard anything more sincere. And as she was caught in the whim of his charm and the alcohol in her system, she smiled up to him and said, "I love you, too."

* * *

><p><strong>NA:** I know you guys are going to hate me for the lack of Blamon but trust me when I say it will all be worth it in the end! It's just Klaus needs to be vulnerable right now because he's adorable like that. Also, hello new readers. Welcome! Thank you for taking interest in our little story here. I hope you stay tuned :] And for the regular readers. You are amazing. Give yourselves a round of applause for not abandoning Clocks yet even if sometimes it seems pointless :} XOXO.


	14. Here's The Day You Hope Would Never Come

**Chapter 14: Here's The Day You Hope Would Never Come**

There was nothing in the journals that could help them. She led them to nothing. It was all for nothing. They brought a hundred year old chest for nothing. Blair only talked about her travels and some remarkable people she's met. Not a single mention of Damon. Not once. Not even on her recent journals. It was like he didn't even exist for her.

Frustrated, he threw the 2011 journal back into the trunk, wanting to burn it. He was home alone while everyone went about their humane lives like nothing was happening. They were at school. Heck, Stefan was at school. It angered him for some reason he didn't even know. He was just angry. He poured himself a glass of bourbon.

"I told you a thousand times you won't find anything of you in her journals," a voice came from behind him. Mikael came strolling into the library to the trunk, examining it. "She wanted to protect you."

"I still don't know why you're even here," Damon glared, "aside from the creepy fact that you two were _good friends_."

"I said I was here to help," he opened the trunk and took out the journals carefully, one by one. That could take all morning. Damon watched as he handled the books. He was careful. Too careful, it seemed. Well, a lot more careful than him, that's for sure.

"Why would you want to help?"

"Didn't I already discuss this, Damon? We seem to bump into one another over the years, thus the friendship." Damon knew if Mikael did eye rolls, he'd probably do one now. But no. Mikael was not the eye rolling type. He, however, couldn't stop himself. He had to. It was him.

"What are you doing?" He demanded when Mikael started knocking on the base of the trunk. He was about to go off on a rage when he heard it. The base of the trunk was hallow. The two men shared a look for a brief second before Mikael started pressing down on the base.

The older vampire pressed on one side of the wooden base of the trunk causing the other side of it to wedge open. He took the false bottom off and found a collection of letters, a photograph, and a wilted flower. He stared at Damon for a minute before taking the photograph and the wilted flower and handing it over to him.

"Well then," Mikael sighed, "I guess I'll leave you to deal with that privately."

Damon didn't even hear him. All he was focused on was the photograph in his hand. And the flower. It was a peony. He knew because he was the one who gave it to her. But the photograph was something even he couldn't remember. He remembered that dress she wore though. He also remembered taking it off. It was at a party, the night before he gave the flower to her. The first of many nights they spent together.

"Damnit," he cursed under his breath. It made him even more curious as to what was inside the box. He stared at it for a while, almost afraid of what else was inside. He placed the photograph gently on the couch and crouched down onto the chest to see yellowed envelopes. Each one having a name. Most of the names were Klaus'. Each letter was written in a fine script. He wanted to burn it. Every single letter addressed to him.

_Niklaus. Niklaus. Niklaus._ He sorted through the letters. Some of them didn't have names. He had to note that he had to open _those_ later_. Niklaus. Niklaus._ She had a collection of odes to Niklaus. It was sickening. _Niklaus. Niklaus. Niklaus. Damon. Niklaus. Niklaus. _Wait. Was that his name?

He traced his name written in a fine script. It was a letter for him. Unless she's come across an even more influential Damon in her life then maybe he just might hate _that_ guy more than her Niklaus. He couldn't open it. He was so curious as to what was inside though. But he just can't bring himself to open it, in broad daylight, with vampires like Mikael and Katherine lurking around, and Klaus.

Damon went to his room and put it in one of the random boxes. No one will find it. And if he was a normal human being, he'd probably forget where he had put it after a few hours too. Too bad he wasn't a normal human being. He was Damon Salvatore. And Damon Salvatore had a letter to open.

x x x

"I still don't understand how you can boss me around when I have the potential to kill you." Dan Humphrey scoffed as he walked through the halls of Mystic Falls High School alongside Rebekah. He had been briefed and calmed by Blair over the last two days about how things were going to work. He wasn't okay with anything, but being towed everywhere by a blonde who was shorter than him was actually quite tolerable. He didn't know if it was the accent or just the way she could be the sweetest thing one second and a raging bitch the next. He often found appeal in that.

"Because my brother is my cure unlike you, when I kill you, you'll have no cure. No way of coming back to life," she shoved her books onto his arms and continued walking. "Now stop complaining, Daniel and just do as I say before you break a bone."

"You mean before _you _break my bones." He rolled his eyes. He had fully briefed her of what high school in America was like, although the school scheme was different here than from what he was used to since St. Judes was pretty much private and this high school was pretty much private. He didn't know why his elitist side kicked in, or why. All he knew was that this school was too crowded for his liking.

"Yes," Rebekah grinned at him by the door of their first class. "It's good to know you're catching on, Daniel."

It honestly grated Dan that he was called Daniel. Nobody called him Daniel, with the exception of Lily, who he actually liked the motherly figure of. It reminded him of home and how much time he spent trying to avoid it. Now he regretted it. He probably won't see Jenny or his dad or his mom or anyone else ever again. Blair promised him freedom, somehow. But he doubted it would be anytime soon.

She and Klaus had gone off somewhere. They said they needed to be alone. Dan never really liked Blair, truly. She was a vampire. He was a werewolf. Mortal enemies. That's why they always bickered and argued. Sometimes they have feuds over unnecessary things _just because. _It was amusing at times since he won word wars, but most of the time he found it immature.

He and Rebekah sat side by side at the front row of the class, waiting for the other chairs to be filled in. They were the first to arrive. Elijah didn't want them to be late for their first day. He was in charge of everything until Blair and Klaus come back from their trip, wherever and whatever that was.

Elena was the first person he saw come in, suddenly a pang of… something. He didn't know how to describe it but there was an emotion there when he saw someone familiar. But of course that hint of emotion only intensified when Serena walked in after her. They shared a look. Longing, perhaps? Worry? Rebekah smacked his arm to distract him. The shorter blonde has expressed her dislike towards the witch. He had to take note that Blair hinted that Rebekah might keep him as a pet.

"Stop it, Rebekah," he complained. He knew he probably shouldn't, but he needed for Serena to take interest in him.

"Shut it, Daniel, and I just might." She grinned, opposite of what her facial expression really should be. It was scary at times but he'll take a fair warning rather than a broken limb. Out of the three originals he had the luxury of meeting; Rebekah was probably the scariest, even scarier than Klaus. And everyone feared _him._

The seats started filling up with strangers Dan didn't know. And the last to come in the classroom was Stefan and Alaric. _This is such a wonderful class. _Everything felt awkward and distant and the only person he was allowed to talk to aside from Rebekah was the teacher, which was coincidentally Alaric Saltzman. At this point Dan wouldn't be surprised if Damon himself walked through the door. But that would be unlikely. He looked too old to be in high school. He looked old enough to be teaching though, but he didn't look like the teacher type. He looked like the type of guys who should have all the finest riches in the world. And he does. But he was a vampire. And that complicated things.

Snapping out of his train of thought because of Rebekah's voice, he noticed that everyone was staring at Serena, with her long legs and golden hair, she should be an Oscar. She _looked_ like an Oscar, except she had curves in all the right places and now she was wearing what seemed to be subtle denim pants and a white button blouse.

"Alright, thank you, miss Smith," Alaric said awkwardly after Rebekah had introduced herself. The history teacher gave him a look that told him he was next and he just as awkwardly stood and waved.

"Dan Humphrey," he said, scanning the crowd. Witches, vampires, and werewolves. When Dan looked back to Ric, he noticed that he came into the same realization as he did. Half of the class was composed of the most deadly creatures in the planet.

x x x

Elijah was lounging around the new house Niklaus has acquired. It would do for now. But he knew that his brother wanted much more than just a big house with white walls. He wanted a family. A home. It was what all of them ever wanted. He just hoped that Blair coming home to them would suffice, that he didn't have to inflict pain on others anymore.

Niklaus wasn't a monster. None of them were monsters. It wasn't their fault they were forced to become these monstrosities. It was their father's. His need and greed for power. He was too proud for his own good.

He had the whole day to himself. He could do whatever he wanted and be wherever he wanted, still he remained at home, waiting for the children to come busting in the door, Rebekah probably babbling about how boring her first day of school was. And Daniel. Poor Daniel who should have never been involved in any of this in the first place. It was a pity Klaus was determined to make him a guinea pig.

"I expected a larger house," a voice behind him said. It was eerily familiar and terribly chilling. When Elijah turned, he saw just who he was expecting. He stood in a stance that could intimidate every king there was, eyes piercing through blonde lashes and a smirk of a devil.

"Father," he acknowledged, suddenly more terrified than he's ever been in years. "If you're looking for Niklaus he's out with his princess, riding off to the sunset."

"You don't seem too happy about that," Mikael chuckled. "It's okay, my boy. I understand. You like her, too. It seems like everyone does actually."

Mikael stood by the door, unmoving, as if he couldn't get inside the house without permission, which wasn't true. He could stroll right in. No one owned the house. He was free to do whatever he wanted to with Elijah. Kill him even. He's been trying to do so for a while now.

"What is it that you want, father?" Elijah quirked a brow at him and took a long sip of his bloodied drink. If Mikael was showing his face to him, it must have been important. If not then he would have just bombarded the mansion with wooden bullets as he did before over and over. There was something up. And he needed to know what.

"Blair," Mikael started, "she's his weakness, no?" He started walking inside the living area, trailing a finger on the couch as he passed by. What on earth would he want from Blair? If he was going to plan and kill her then he was just wasting precious time. He wasn't helping.

"What do you want from Blair?" he demanded. It wasn't wise to show emotion, but he couldn't help himself. It was Blair. She was one of the chosen people he actually cared for. And now she was on his father's radar. Not good.

"Oh nothing for now. I was just checking in on her. I haven't spoken to her in a while." Mikael smirked. Elijah was right. He did look like the devil. Heck, he was the devil in every sense of the word. He created these monsters that were running around, tearing people to shreds, and taking innocent lives. What's worse is that he was related to him. Actually related. Unlike Niklaus who wasn't really his son. Elijah… he was the devil's spawn.

The actual meaning of his words finally dawned onto him. "You've spoken to her before? When? How? What did you do?"

"Oh Elijah," he wanted to punch that smug smirk off his father's face, "aren't you being a little too over protective? But yes. We have stumbled upon each other before. Never worry, I didn't fully disclose my identity. She doesn't know I'm related to you."

"What do you want?" He asked more firmly.

"You'll see what when I get it," Mikael nodded. Elijah had to blink. And he was gone.

x x x

Alaric had two hours for lunch that day. Precisely two hours. And where did he go? To the Salvatore boarding house of course. He received an urgent message from a tipsy vampire friend and drove right over. It wasn't very urgent sounding actually. It just said:

_House. Now._

Two letter messages were vague and honestly annoying. But he had to go. Somehow being away from school helped relax him. It was like every corner he turned there was a supernatural being waiting for him. He bumped into Rebekah and Dan a few times already and the day was only half way done. They had the same classes, it seemed. It made sense. They were trying to keep the wolf from crying boy.

The house was too silent for his own liking when he got there. Not a whisper in the air or a loud mouth drunk yelling for his name. There was nothing. He thought for a second that maybe Damon meant a different house but when he finally found him in his room, every other thought faded into the background.

Damon was sitting on a chair, a glass of blood in his hand, staring idly at his bed. There was an envelope. An old, yellowed envelope, unopened, unscathed. He walked slowly towards it and found Damon's name written on it. He recognized the script… and soon he realized whose handwriting it was.

"Read it," Damon said, still unflinching.

"Have you?" he continued staring at the letter. No. It hasn't been opened, ever. It had centuries of dust on it and no one's read the letter.

"No. I want you to read it first." He took a sip of his drink and went back to his previous position.

"It's probably private, Damon, are you—"

"Yes, I'm sure," Damon cut him off. "I trust you."

It was probably the biggest compliment Damon has ever said to him. He had to indulge himself for he too was becoming curious as to what the letter contained. He picked it up slowly and started opening, carefully. Once opened, he took the pieces of parchment inside. He started unfolding them—two pages, written in the same script he's been reading for days.

Damon watched as Alaric read, how his eyes scanned through the page line by line, not missing a word or a punctuation mark. He was curios too, but he just couldn't bring himself to read it. Not yet. Not until he knew it was safe. His blue eyes flickered as Ric continued to the second page and waited patiently for him to finish.

Ric sighed. Damon should have read it first. He folded the letter back in place and placed it inside the envelope. He felt nervous, walking towards Damon to hand over the envelope.

"You should read it, Damon." He placed the envelope on the desk.

"Is it really from her?"

"Yes," he sighed, "I'll leave you to it."

Damon nodded and watched as Alaric walked out of the room, down the staircase, and out there door. He waited until he was truly alone before he picked up the envelope, unraveled the letter, and started reading.

_My dearest Damon,_

_I would not know how to say this to you in person. Honestly, I do not know how I'm going to say it in this letter, but I have to just let it out and get it over with. And this letter would probably never see the light of day once I hide it under this trunk but I just really needed to tell you, even though you will never get to read this. I love you. Now I know it sounds crazy and I know you laugh at the thought of it but it's the only truth I know at the moment and it pains me that I have to leave._

_A long time ago, before you were even born, I met a man. He saved me. He saved me and he gave me this new life. He's not the devil, no, but to some he's close to it. And I loved him, too. I loved him with all of me but he left me. I am still not exactly sure why but he did. I've roamed the world alone ever since, destroyed, broken. Then I met you._

_To be quite honest I was not fully taken with you at first. You were obnoxious and arrogant and spoiled. Everything that I am at times, honestly, so I picked you out of the crowd because I knew for certain that no emotional attachment might come out of our affair. How wrong and stupid was I because I did develop feelings for you. I did feel human again. You fixed me. But you have to understand that nothing was simple. Everything had consequences._

_If the man I said found out about you, about my connection with you and how I felt about you he'd kill you. I could only imagine you laughing at this point but it is true. He has the capability to kill innocent human beings such as yourself. And I cannot let him. I will not let him harm a single hair on your body._

_You, Damon Salvatore, have the ability to take the world by storm. You're cunning and smart and if you would only see that you are not the failure you've always thought yourself of then you can have it all and more. So I'm setting you free, to live, to be human. How wonderful it is, the thought of you being a husband, a father, a lover and a companion. How I wish I could be there to experience all of it with you, but I cannot. I am a cursed being, doomed to the earth. I am not meant for you, I am afraid. I wish I have met you many centuries ago, back when I was human too, for I know I would have loved you then also. And I will always love you until my heart stops beating. I promise._

_Eternally,  
>Blair<em>

"She made me watch you," Mikael said from the doorway. Damon stared at the letter for a long time before looking up to see the older vampire. His arms were crossed on his chest and he leaned against the doorframe. "I met her at Harvard. We were friends. She consulted me about you and before she left she asked me to watch you for some time just to make sure Niklaus doesn't stumble upon you."

"Where did she go after she left?" Damon asked.

"Asia. She loved the long boat ride over the orient. She tried to make peace with herself but she never really found that peace, I guess. Even now. She's conflicted with herself. Why do you think she eats both humans and animals? She can't decide. She loves Klaus but she loves you too, apparently." Mikael sighed. "My boy, you need to get her back."

Damon stared at him. He seemed so genuine and honest. But he knew better to trust random vampires who presented themselves as Blair's friends. For all he knew he could have never met Blair in the first place. "I intend to, Mikael."

* * *

><p><strong>NA:** THIS TOOK TOO LONG THAN IT SHOULD HAVE. I do apologize. Do feel free to rant about it in reviews and on my tumblr as some of you already have. I love working under pressure. But seriously guys, I do need to be pushed more often. So thanks to the anon that asked me at my asked about chapter fourteen. I'm going to say it again I guess: this isn't very, I don't know, substantial? It's more like a back story kind of thing to support the next chapter. But hey, I hope my letter makes up for it though. I hope you stay tuned. Thanks for all the reviews and support, truly. I appreciate it. XOXO.


	15. I See a Storm Bubbling Up From the Sea

**Chapter 15: I See a Storm Bubbling Up From the Sea**

Elena was driving home, her thoughts still trying to process how Dan Humphrey of all people became Rebekah's pet. They seemed awkward together. She was always talking and he was always rolling his eyes to the back of his head. Yet it still looked very… natural. Normal, even, if she took away the fact that she was an original and he was a werewolf.

Serena was with Bonnie. They decided to spend some time together at the grill, probably with Caroline too. She ducked out, leaving them with the homework excuse. She didn't expect them to buy it, but somehow they let her go. They probably thought it was a Stefan thing. She wished it was, but Stefan disappeared after class.

He, too, has been different since he came home. Everyone has been. Damon most especially. Whatver he shared with Blair… it made her feel off. She knew she should be happy that Damon finally found someone… but that was just it. He didn't finally find someone. She's been his someone longer than anyone else had. Longer than Katherine… longer than her.

Elena shrugged and shook her head. She shouldn't have been thinking of that. She was never Damon's, and he was never hers. No. It was wrong. Stefan was home. That was what's important. That was—

A figure appeared before her, causing her to step on the breaks as hard as she could. Luckily her bumper barely touched the girl who now she realized was the one person she feared most. Blair smirked at her and walked towards the passenger's seat. She got inside her car. Elena could feel her skin crawl. What did she want? Was she there to hurt her? Did she get away from Klaus?

"Nice town you got here, Elena," Blair said, "drive now please."

She did as the vampire told her, her fingers trembling. The last time she actually had contact with Blair was when her hand was wrapped securely around her throat and Damon had to peal her off of her. Who knows what she could do with no one insight for miles?

A small chuckle escaped Blair's lips. It annoyed Elena although she didn't know why. "What do you want, Blair? Where's Klaus?"

"I find it amusing how I could effectively alter the rate of your heartbeat." _I find it amusing how you suddenly showed up in the middle of the highway_. Elena took a deep breath and shrugged. She had to show no sign of weakness, especially fear. Not with her here. "What, Elena? Are you scared of me?"

"What do you want? Where's Klaus?"

"You shan't worry yourself with Niklaus' whereabouts," she smirked, "I'm here for a different reason."

"Damon?" She hissed, unintentionally. She didn't know why or how Blair all of the sudden was irritating her but she was and the last thing she wanted was to be anywhere near her.

"So you're catching along, this is good improvement. But yes, I'm here about the Salvatore."

"He's been going crazy trying to plot your rescue, and here you are, free."

"I'm not free, Elena. I never was and I probably never will be." She snapped, yelling. It made the other brunette jump in her seat. Realizing how terribly horrified Elena was, Blair laughed. "Tell him to stop and move on with his life."

"You can't just expect me to do that—"

"Yes you can! You'd love it. Don't lie, Elena. I know girls like you."

"What?"

"You like him. You like how he showers you with his comfort and protection. You love that two men, brothers, are falling on your feet, fighting your every battle for you."

"You don't know me."

"Or do I? Believe me, Elena. As much as you despise Katherine, you're exactly like her. Except she owns up to her selfishness, unlike you. And this actually makes her better than you."

Elena glared at her and tried to focus on getting home, but that only meant bringing Blair with her. She stopped the car abruptly in the middle of the road.

"First of all, you don't have the right to judge me—"

"I have every right to judge you—"

"Second, you can tell Damon to move on yourself. And finally, get out of my car. I need to get home."

Blair gave her a once over and then rolled her eyes. She didn't see this coming. But Elena was still wrong. Everything she was doing was wrong. This whole martyr thing… it was wrong. She shook her head and got off the car.

"Stop being selfish and choose, Elena, because by not choosing you'll only end up hurting them both and having neither."

x x x

Elijah was alone, finally. Rebekah decided that Dan needed to go out more so they went to the local grill. Mostly he thought it was to show him off to the Rhodes witch, but he let her be. She was his sister after all and it delighted him, seeing her be a teenager again—human again.

He leaned back on the arm chair in front of the fire with a drink in hand, relishing his moments alone before Blair and Niklaus come back from their small trip. Just when he thought he'd have the darkness of the night to himself, his brother suddenly appears in the corner of his eye.

"Niklaus," he started, "you're home soon. Where's Blair?"

"She went out to get a bite to eat. How are things? Bekah?"

"She's out with her new pet wolf at the local pub. They're getting along as expected." Elijah took a long swig of his drink.

"I could only assume it's not going pretty well," Klaus made his way to the wet bar just behind the old Victorian couch that came with the house and fixed himself up a drink. Elijah's eyes shifted as his brows furrowed in confusion. His brother was calm. Too calm.

"Is anything the matter, Niklaus?" he asked.

Klaus considered the question, contemplating on whether he should tell his brother or not. The subject at hand was quite sensitive. And he didn't want to tear their growing bond. He was even surprised he wasn't the least bit angry when he undaggered him. He was level headed and perhaps just over it.

"It's Blair," he sat on the armchair beside Elijah's and mimicked his position—slouched and tired. "She's different."

"Well of course she is, Niklaus. It's been centuries since you've been with her."

"No," he shook his head, "it's different. She's… stronger. Stronger than the last time I've seen her."

"She's grown up. She's rebuilt herself."

"She demanded that I must not lay a hand on anybody in Mystic Falls," the frustration in his voice was evident. A muder-less town? With Niklaus in it? That was just not acceptable. "Not even Elena Gilbert."

"Did she say why?"

"She said… enough blood has been shed. If I do kill another human then she'll leave. Forever."

Elijah pulled himself out of the mold he's created on the chair to study his brother's face. Could it be? His brother was breaking down? Of course. It was Blair. Niklaus has never loved anyone other than her.

"And you won't have that?"

"Of course I won't," Klaus exclaimed. "I can't lose her… the thought of her… no. Not again."

"Then I would suggest not harming anyone in Mystic Falls,"

"But that's unacceptable, Elijah. I need to kill the doppelganger. I need to break the curse."

"What for, Niklaus? You have your family. You have Blair."

"I—" he opened his mouth to say something to defend himself, but there was nothing that he could say. Nothing he could say out loud, at least. Not to Elijah.

"Did I miss anything?" A voice behind them startled Elijah, causing him to jump out of his seat, ready to pounce on whomever it was invading their home. He immediately froze upon seeing the vampire before them.

"Stefan," Klaus announced, smiling, "glad you could finally join us." He rose from his seat to approach him, but Stefan stepped back, defensive.

"What is this, Niklaus?" Elijah asked.

"Why are you keeping me? You made a deal with Blair. I should be free."

Klaus chuckled and emptied the contents of his glass into his mouth, taking his precious time, after all, time is all they did have. Why hurry such a petty case?

"Oh Stefan," he smirked, "but I'm not done with you yet."

"You made a deal!"

"But you neglected to tell me one very small, very important detail, Stefan. The doppelganger is still alive."

"Don't you dare—"

"Oh, don't worry. I swore to my love that I won't touch anyone in Mystic Falls. But…"

"Niklaus," Elijah warned.

"She didn't say anything about you though," Klaus smirk suggested that an apocalypse was about to happen. And it was probably true. He was wicked as wicked can be, despite Blair's return in his life. Somehow this dismayed Elijah. He thought he had his brother back. The Niklaus he grew up with. He should have known he was wrong.

x x x

After her altercation with Elena, Blair decided she needed a drink before going home. The only place that offered actual alcohol in Mystic Falls was their little grill. Surely enough, it was a long run from the site Elena dumped her in to the crowded bar. When she got there she didn't expect to see Dan chugging down a bottle of beer with Rebekah by the pool table, playing pool. Heck, she didn't expect to see Dan and Rebekah out period.

She nodded to Rebekah when she spotted her and went to the bar to get herself a drink. She could feel eyes on her, following her moves, but she didn't want to risk anything by seeing who it was. She'll catch sight of them eventually.

"There she is," she heard someone whisper.

"What should we do?" It was Serena's voice. Serena? Her head snapped to the direction of the forming conversation. There she was. The blonde witch was sandwiched between Caroline and Bonnie.

They all held their breaths for a minute as she stared at them. She considered approaching them, but it was too risky. There was Rebekah and she had questions and she's been avoiding questions. That impatience plus Blair's ignoring her was a bad combination. She raised her glass to the girls and walked over to the pool table that Dan and Rebekah occupied.

"Blair, nice of you to join us." Dan announced, leaning against the table as Rebekah sat on top of it beside him.

"How have you two been?" Blair asked Rebekah, ignoring Dan completely. She found that it was easier if she just ignored Dan all together than to face the fact that she wasn't capable of saving him. Not any time soon, that is.

"Bored. Doesn't your wolf know any tricks?"

"I apologize if his uncanny ability to quote Fitzgerald and Poe doesn't seem to amuse you."

"It doesn't. And he talks back."

"That's just how Humphrey is, I suppose,"

"I'm still here—"

"Shut it, Daniel. Go get us something to eat, will you? I need to have a talk with Blair."

"I need to have a talk with Blair too, you know."

Rebekah jumped off of the pool table, grabbed Dan by the shoulders and pointed him to the direction of the bar. "Ladies first, wolf." She gave her a light shove and he started walking aimlessly towards the bar, her eyes glancing at Serena, whose gaze was glued on him. All he wanted to do was to run to her and get away from this web that Blair's gotten tangled in, but somehow he knew that wouldn't be the smartest move to make considering the circumstances.

Blair quirked a brow at Rebekah, "You do know we can't talk here, right?"

"I'm aware. I don't care. What's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't play coy, Blair. Him. I told you to stay away from him. You told me he was just a bed warmer. What happened? Did you snap and suddenly turn him?"

"No! I would never do that, Rebekah, you know that. I would never turn anyone."

"Then why is he here? You know Nik's going to kill him if he finds out."

"Don't tell him Bekah," Blair said rather too quickly, giving her emotions away. "Please. Don't."

Rebekah stared at Blair as if she didn't know the person in front of her. She was her best friend—her sister, maybe not by blood but by bond. But Niklaus was her brother. The only family she had left with Elijah.

"You did have feelings for him, did you?" Could she really blame her? She was abandoned, lost, disregarded. If she put herself in Blair's shoes she'd probably do a lot worse. When her friend responded with a deep sigh, she knew it was true. She loved this Salvatore boy. Maybe even more than she loved Niklaus.

"We should go home," Rebekah announced, placing her pool stick atop the table. There was no way she was going to have Blair admit her feelings. Not about his one boy, definitely. But she was going to find out eventually, somehow. She won't rest until she does.

x x x

"How cute," Katherine commented on the photograph that lay idle atop a stack of books on Damon's desk. She has stared at it for the longest time before she made her comment. Obviously there was bewilderment for her that someone got to Damon before she did. She had to admit to herself that Waldorf was a real player in these games. Not a decoy. Not bate. This time, she was the prize.

"Though, I hate this stupid smug grin on your face like you had the world," she continued, flipping the photo. She walked fluidly to the armchair just beside the desk, watching Damon as he sat on his bed. He wasn't the same somehow. She's only been gone two days and here he was, not the same Salvatore she's come to know.

"I didn't need the world," he sighed, still staring at the blank space before him, "I had her."

Katherine scoffed, her eyebrows furrowing. "When's Stefan getting home? You're an absolute bore."

"Why are you even here, Katherine?" Damon asked, annoyed now that she's mocking his feelings. Feelings, he scoffed in his mind. Since when did Damon Salvatore have feelings?

"I need to talk to you about something and you must trust me."

"Trust you? Have you met yourself?"

"Damon, believe me when I tell you the information I have is worth considering."

"Alright, what is it?"

Katherine took a moment to listen for anyone around. There was dead silence. It was safe. It better be because she didn't want to get killed just because of this. She took a deep breath and trained her eyes on Damon.

"Mikael. He's not to be trusted," she started, her voice low.

"What?"

"I know I've heard of him from somewhere, and then it hit me. Pearl knew a person named Mikael. He's a vampire who hunts other vampires. Damon, he's dangerous."

"He's helping me get Blair back. And if he is a vampire hunting vampire then wouldn't that mean he'd know how to kill Klaus? Two birds with one stone."

"No, Damon, you're not listening. He's dangerous. No vampire that comes across him makes it out alive."

"Blair made it out alive."

"Ever think that maybe they had an affair of sorts? Or did you ever think that maybe she's running away from him? Think, Damon. Have you lost the ability to think?"

"He's the only link I have to her."

"No, Damon! If you actually were thinking, which I assume you really have lost the ability to do so, you'd know that the only link you need is yourself."

"Why are you doing this, Katherine? Is this some part of your elaborate plan to ruin my life?"

Katherine took a moment to scoff and roll her eyes. "Yes, Damon. You caught me. I'm here to make your life a living hell. Blah blah blah…" she got up from her seat and started walking towards the door to leave. Why was she helping them? There wasn't anything in it for her, except maybe the potential killing of Klaus. But that was a long shot. Why should she stay around?

"Just don't wait for the day when I tell you I told you so," she hummed, walking out of the door and down the hall slowly, waiting for Damon to maybe follow her, but he didn't. He couldn't care less. He was stuck in this phase of self-pity and it was pathetic.

She was just rounding about the corner at the bottom of their stair case when she felt hands all over her, one secured tightly around her waist and one clasped around her mouth. She tried to scream, but her voice was muffled. She tried to get out of the man's grasp, but she couldn't, he was too strong. And when he snapped her neck, the last thing she saw was Mikael's face.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** jdflskafjlksd I know, I know. My updates are getting slower and slower, but believe me when I tell you I have good reasons. 1.) I have school. 2.) I'm contemplating on starting a new fic. 3.) I really don't have a three but I figured just two things aren't enough. And I know this doesn't really lead to anything, but you'll see soon. I think I just wanted to put danbekah there to splurge myself. Anyhow, I really really really must say that you guys are awesome. If you ever have any questions, I think it's best if you contact me via tumblr :} Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this and you still stay tuned. XOXO.


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